It was a weekend of celebrating Paul Rudolph and other practitioners of the Sarasota School of Architecture. Sarasota ModWeekend took place November 6-8 and lovers of modern design descended upon notable examples of clean-lined architecture throughout Sarasota. Organized by the Sarasota Architectural Foundation, mid-century modern works by Sarasota architects were on display all weekend, including an impressive replica of the Walker Guest House.
And Sarasota architecture firm Solstice Planning and Architecture was no stranger to the weekend festivities. Jonathan Parks led tours of contemporary homes on Lido Shores as well as the recently renovated Paul Rudolph Addition to Sarasota High School (in which Solstice played a large role in the renovation).
We were lucky to get a bunch of great snapshots all day Saturday thanks to one of our favorite photographers, Veronika Bajtala.
The day began at the Umbrella House by Paul Rudolph where Jonathan gave a brief history of Lido Shores, developed by Phil Hiss.
The Contemporary Walking Tour included visits to numerous private residences built in the last few decades.
It was a warm day for November as the group walked from home to home.
One of the stops was the colorful Chappell Residence designed by Don Chappell and based on the forms of an Italian hill town.
Check out the courtyard.
Modern house, modern car.
And then we made a trip to the TipTop Haus! Jonathan shared insights into the design of the home including the importance of keeping the garage away from the front facade and the challenges in working with a site only 70 ft wide.
And the Lightbox House was next on the list, also designed by Solstice Architects.
After the walking tour, the day continued at Sarasota High School where SarasotaMod organized a celebration of the recent renovation and adaptive reuse of Paul Rudolph's Addition to Sarasota High School.
The Sarasota School Board spent $10 million saving the historic structure originally built in 1959. Solstice Architects acted as the Restoration Architect alongside Harvard Jolly and contractor, Tandem Construction.
Ra ra!
Scott Lemke with the Sarasota School Board spoke about how important it was to bring back the Paul Rudolph Addition as the "front door" to the campus.
And then a very appreciative public was given a tour of the building, including historic details and stories from the recent Solstice renovation.
Finally, the Solstice team gathered for a snapshot on the steps of the high school with Janet Minker, president of Sarasota Architectural Foundation and one of the masterminds behind Sarasota ModWeekend.
And the tour never stopped! Once the sun went down and the SHS lights came on, the hardiest of archi-lovers got their late-night fill of the Sarasota School of Architecture.
It was a nonstop Saturday of architectural appreciation. We call that a certain success! Cheers to SarasotaMod for making it a memorable day...and night!
What's your favorite Sarasota School of Architecture building? Let us know in the comments!