Rudolph Additions to Sarasota High School Headed to the National Register of Historic Places

Richard — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:20:12 +0000

The State of Florida yesterday submitted a nomination packet for the Rudolph additions to Sarasota High School to the Keeper of the National Register in Washington. Once the Keeper of the National
Register’s staff logs it into their system, they have 45 days to take action. If all goes well, after the 45th day a notice of its listing will be sent to the State of Florida.

This is only the third Sarasota School of Architecture building to be listed on the National Register (the others are the Revere Quality House and the Twitchell House) and the first Sarasota School of Architecture school building to be listed.

Docomomo US/Florida was instrumental in assembling the nomination package and pushing it through the process.

Miami Conference to Highlight Preservation in Florida and France

Richard — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:36:16 +0000

May 1, Miami, Alliance Francaise, the University of Miami School of Architecture, and Docomomo Florida, and Vizcaya Museum, present a roundtable (in English) on preserving Modern architecture. France and the United States have different views on heritage preservation. The conference will highlight the challenges of preserving historical buildings and in particular of 20th century architecture. The speakers’ presentations will be based on specific cases, like the documentation experience of Docomomo, the struggle for saving the Miami Marine Stadium and Art Deco District, or the Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye, in Poissy (France).

The event, at 618 SW 8th street, Miami, will cost $25 or $15 for Docomomo or Alliance Francaise members. Wine and cheese will be served. For more information, please call 305 859 8760.

More information can be obtained by clicking on the image of Villa Savoye below…

(Historical note: this event occurs on the 450th anniversary of French navigator Jean Ribault’s arrival in Florida.)

DOCOMOMO Florida to be Honored at Preservation Awards Ceremony

Richard — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:15:14 +0000

The Jacksonville Historical Preservation Commission will be awarding one of its annual Preservation Awards to DOCOMOMO US/Florida for its contributions to the Arlington Mod events on DOCOMOMO’s annual Tour Day. The chapter collaborated with Old Arlington, Inc., and the Jacksonville chapter of AIA to stage the symposium and tour.

Winning Poster From UF Research Showcases Highlights Florida Modernist

Richard — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 17:28:36 +0000

The winning entry in the University of Florida’s College of Design, Construction & Planning’s Research Showcase was a poster submitted by PhD candidate Dereck Winning on Jacksonville Modernist William N. Morgan.

Morgan has had a interest in early architecture — especially earth architecture — which has lasted for more than 50 years. This interest is often manifested in his work, which often includes berms or buried features, perhaps inspired by North American architecture predating arrival of the Europeans after 1492.

Rudolph-Designed Fraternity House Imperiled

Richard — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:20:11 +0000

The Pi Kappa Phi fraternity house on the University of Florida’s Fraternity Row, was designed by Paul Rudolph. The fraternity, which was suspended and banned from the campus from 2006 to 2011 for hazing, is now planning to raise money to replace the Rudolph structure, which clearly is in miserable condition. This fraternity publication provides more information and a photo of the building in its present condition.

Robert C. Broward to be Inducted into Florida Arts Hall of Fame

Rachel — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:05:55 +0000

Frank Lloyd Wright - Florida Southern College

Noted architect (and friend of DOCOMOMO US/Florida) will be inducted into the Florida Arts Hall of Fame in March, 2012. The Florida Department of State’s announcement includes the following comments: Architect Robert Broward’s years of prolific practice have produced a legacy of outstanding art as architecture. He has inspired the careers of two generations of highly respected architects as mentor and teacher. His consistent dedication to absorbing and developing the principles applied throughout his life’s work began in 1949 during his time an apprentice with Frank Lloyd Wright and the construction of Florida Southern College. Broward’s early connection to the pine woods of North Florida fostered a respect for the natural environment that led him to establish organic architectural methods where design and sustainability of structures parallels a commitment to environmental stewardship. As an historical architecture consultant, he spearheaded the renovation of the classic Jacksonville structures of Henry John Klutho while also publishing definitive scholarly works on the career of this pioneer Florida architect.

Robert Broward

For more information, visit the Department’s website: http://www.dos.state.fl.us/news/communications/pressrelease/pressRelease.aspx?id=553

Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Child of the Sun,” campus for Florida Southern College designated National Historic Landmark

Rachel — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:55 +0000

caption id=”attachment_229″ align=”alignleft” width=”354″ caption=”Esplanade “][/caption] Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Child of the Sun,” the campus for Florida Southern College in Lakeland, and the largest collection of Wright designed buildings in one location, has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service this past Monday. A controversial character and a leader in the advancement of modern architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright has been dubbed, “the Greatest American Architect of All Time,” by the American Institute of Architecture (AIA). The “Child of the Sun,” as the collection of structures has been dubbed, is the only college campus Wright ever designed. In the late 1930s, the college president, Dr. Ludd Spivey, approached Wright at his home in Spring Green, WI saying, “I have no money with which to build the modern American campus, but if you’ll design the buildings, I’ll work night and day to raise the means.” (FSC) Constructed between 1941 and 1958, the campus features seven buildings, a water feature, and a series of esplanades. The first structure built, the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel (dedicated in 1941), was built with student labor in exchange for tuition.

Annie Pfeiffer Chapel

Wright believed the structures to be rising from the ground and into the sun, and constructed them with basic materials including: steel for durability, native Florida sand, and glass to bring the outside in. He believed the strength of his concrete block would leave his structures standing, “a thousand years into the future.” (quote from FLW) The campus hosts roughly 30,000 visitors each year, and in 1992 opened the “Child of the Sun” visitor’s center, displaying: photographs, drawings, and furniture, and offering guided tours of the buildings by appointment. For more details visit the center’s website: Child of the Sun “. . . out of the ground, and into the light, a child of the sun.” Frank Lloyd Wright Read more HERE

Sarasota Event to Celebrate Rudolph’s Legacy

Rachel — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:59:42 +0000

The Sarasota Architectural Foundation will be presenting an evening of presentations and talks on Paul Rudolph’s Sarasota Legacy. The event at the Ringling College of Art & Design’s Academic Center Auditorium will run from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. and will be followed by a reception. Check-in will commence at 5:00 p.m.

More information is available on their website: http://sarasotaarchitecturalfoundation.org / .

William N. Morgan Receives Honorary Doctorate from University of Florida

Rachel — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:59:09 +0000

On Friday, February 17, 2012, William N. Morgan was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts by the University of Florida. More information can be found here or here. You can see more photos here.

LINCOLN ROAD MALL ADDED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER

Rachel — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:51:58 +0000

Lincoln Road is arguably one of America’s most unique urban areas. Its combination of space-age design, setting, and high-end stores and cafes, make it the place to see and be seen in South Beach. It’s past is that of a boulevard that saw radical swings in popularity and retail patronage since its construction in 1914. Today’s Lincoln Road Pedestrian Mall tells the story of an urban design concept that saved the commercial main street – a story DOCOMOMO US/FLORIDA believes is worth preserving. Completed in December of 1960, only seven blocks of the original concept were configured to Lapidus’s fantastic vision—a modernistic pedestrian mall with thin-shell concrete shelters, fountains, pools, tropical landscaping, and its signature black-and-white striped pavement. Lincoln Road pedestrian mall was at the forefront in urban design and it remains the second-oldest and most intact pedestrian mall in the United States. (A slightly older iteration in Kalamazoo, Michigan has been substantially altered and abbreviated since its 1959 inception.) A 1990s redevelopment, done in consultation with Lapidus, brought new vitality to the district, while respecting the original concept and design. The board of directors of DOCOMOMO US/FLORIDA wanted to celebrate and honor the Lincoln Road Mall on its 50th birthday. It also wanted to do something consistent with its mission of documenting and conserving the Modern movement. With an immediate need for someone or some entity to prepare the Lincoln Road’s nomination to the National Register, DOCOMOMO US/FLORIDA’s board and members stepped in to fill the void. The DOCOMOMO team, led by preservation planner Laura Lavernia; landscape architect Patricia Watkins; Sean McCaughan; and Richard Shieldhouse, completed Lincoln Road’s nomination proposal in late 2010. DOCOMOMO’s nomination proposal was approved by the State of Florida’s National Register Review Board. It was listed on the National Register on May 16, 2011.