The American Institute of Architects Cleveland (AIA Cleveland) and Cleveland Metroparks launched Parkitecture, a new seasonal lecture and learning series, on Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Brecksville Reservation.

The winter edition marked the inaugural program in what organizers envision as an ongoing platform for architects, planners, landscape architects, and park professionals to explore the intersection of design, ecology, and public space within one of the nation’s most respected park systems.

GregorySoltis discusses the Brecksville Nature Center History and construction.“When we learn across disciplines, we design better places,” says Gregory Soltis, AIA Cleveland co-director of programming, who moderated the session. “Parkitecture creates that shared ground. Park spaces belong to all of us, and there is something distinct about being in a Metropark—you feel like you’re in a special place that we all share.”

Organized by AIA Cleveland in collaboration with the American Planning Association (APA) Cleveland Section, the American Society of Landscape Architects, and Cleveland Metroparks, Parkitecture is designed as a four-part series—Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall—each rooted in a specific park setting and season.

Every session is co-led by a Cleveland Metroparks naturalist, ensuring that discussions are grounded in daily fieldwork, stewardship, and public engagement.

A focus on Brecksville Reservation
The Winter edition centered on Brecksville Reservation, examining the history of Cleveland Metroparks, the evolution of park architecture, and the relationship between historic and contemporary design within a living landscape.

Panelists included Metroparks naturalist Jenny McClain, chief planning and design officer Sean McDermott, landscape architect Amanda Meier, principal planner Kelly Coffman, landscape designer Connor Karakul, and architect Christopher Widdowson.

The siting of the new building coincided with the natural end of life of a stand of non-native evergreens, creating an opportunity to restore a native tallgrass prairie. Today, the prairie supports a diverse ecosystem maintained through land management practices, such as periodically controlled burns.

Together, the buildings illustrate how Metroparks architecture has evolved while remaining deeply connected to its natural surroundings.

The program concluded with a guided tour of the Nature Center, followed by one of Brecksville’s most enduring winter traditions: hand-feeding wild birds.

A WPA legacy in the woods
Constructed in 1939 by the WPA, the Brecksville Nature Center is the last surviving example of three WPA “trailside museums” built within the Cleveland Metroparks system. The other two, located in the North Chagrin Reservation and the Rocky River Reservation, were lost to fire.

WPA civilians camp at the Brecksville Reservation.Built during the tenure of William A. Stinchcomb, the visionary engineer and park planner credited as the founder of the Metroparks, the Nature Center reflects the National Park Service’s rustic architectural style. Stinchcomb served as the first director of what was once called the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District from 1921 to 1957 and was instrumental in shaping both the park system’s physical form and its underlying philosophy.

Designed to appear as though it emerged naturally from the landscape, the Brecksville Nature Center features wormy chestnut interior woodwork, wrought-iron chandeliers, hand-carved details, stone fireplaces, and extensive use of local materials.

Fallen American chestnut trees—killed by the chestnut blight sweeping eastern forests at the time—were repurposed during construction, reinforcing the building’s connection to its environment.

The project provided employment for dozens of skilled laborers during the Great Depression, with a temporary workers’ encampment established nearby. More than 90 years later, the structure remains remarkably intact and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Designing for the present, respecting the past
Adjacent to the Nature Center, the 2018 Trailside Program Center represents a contemporary interpretation of Metroparks architecture. Designed to complement the rustic character of the WPA building, the facility provides modern classrooms, program space, and accessibility while expanding the reservation’s capacity for environmental education.

The siting of the new building coincided with the natural end of life of a stand of non-native evergreens, creating an opportunity to restore a native tallgrass prairie. Today, the prairie supports a diverse ecosystem maintained through land management practices, such as periodically controlled burns.

_Prarie Grass Habitat by the Trailside Program Center.During the Parkitecture program, Metroparks naturalist McClain noted that late summer is her favorite season at the site, when the prairie is alive with insects, monarch butterflies, and migrating birds—saying it is an example of how thoughtful design and ecological restoration can work hand in hand.

Updated restroom facilities nearby further reflect Metroparks’ ongoing investment in visitor experience and accessibility, ensuring that historic sites continue to serve contemporary needs.

Learning by experience
After the panel discussion, attendees toured the Nature Center, observing its craftsmanship and learning about its role in the history of environmental education in Northeast Ohio.

The program concluded outdoors, where participants took part in Brecksville Reservation’s longstanding tradition of hand-feeding wild birds—a practice dating back to the 1940s.

Standing quietly with sunflower seeds in open palms, attendees were visited by black-capped chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches. McClain explained that birds remain in Ohio during winter not because of temperature, but because of food availability—often foraging together in mixed flocks.

McClain pointed out that a red-breasted nuthatch—a species not seen at the feeders in several years—has been a frequent visitor this year.

Public bird feeding takes place at the Brecksville Nature Center on winter weekends, typically from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., offering visitors an intimate way to connect with the park’s wildlife.

A continuing legacy
Cleveland Metroparks traces its origins to 1917, when Stinchcomb secured the first parcels of land that would eventually form the “Emerald Necklace.”

Today, the system encompasses more than 23,000 acres and is nationally recognized for its conservation leadership, extensive trail network, public programming, and architectural heritage.

The Stinchcomb-Groth Memorial, dedicated in 1958 at Rocky River Reservation, honors both Stinchcomb and his successor, Benjamin F. Groth, whose leadership guided the park system through continued growth.

Tom Matowitz is the author of the August 2006 book, “Images of America: Cleveland Metroparks.”