Originally designed by Ralph and William Zimmerman in 1954, this mid-century modern (MCM) ranch house embodied the essence of the Sarasota School of Architecture movement. Unfortunately, the house underwent several alterations and additions that disregarded its original architectural character erasing its clarity of plan and simple form.

Avid of mid-century architecture, the current owner fell in love with the few elements that remained untouched, such as the exposed post and beam structure, the original briquette, the large 8’x8’ sliding glass doors for cross ventilation, and terrazzo floors. In addition to revitalizing the mid-century character of the house, the owner also considered adapting the plan and program of the house to accommodate today’s new way of living.

The first strategy constitutes an adjustment of organization. Stripped from the unfitting additions, the renovation respects the existing building disposition. The floor plan reconfiguration creates a seamless open flow between the original structure and the new addition. The clarity of plan is established in the centrally located living core with private quarters on opposite sides.

The second strategy is the respectful echoing of the existing building’s inclination of volume, proportion, and materials to regain the clarify of form. The repetition of the original roof line with clearstories, the addition of large panes of glass, and the expression of the exposed post and beam structure erase the confluence between the old and the new, while reinforcing the mid-century movement it is a part of.

Location:
Indian Beach - Sapphire Shores, Sarasota, Florida

Status:
Completion, 2018

Originally designed by Ralph and William Zimmerman in 1954, this mid-century modern (MCM) ranch house embodied the essence of the Sarasota School of Architecture movement. Unfortunately, the house underwent several alterations and additions that disregarded its original architectural character erasing its clarity of plan and simple form.

Avid of mid-century architecture, the current owner fell in love with the few elements that remained untouched, such as the exposed post and beam structure, the original briquette, the large 8’x8’ sliding glass doors for cross ventilation, and terrazzo floors. In addition to revitalizing the mid-century character of the house, the owner also considered adapting the plan and program of the house to accommodate today’s new way of living.

The first strategy constitutes an adjustment of organization. Stripped from the unfitting additions, the renovation respects the existing building disposition. The floor plan reconfiguration creates a seamless open flow between the original structure and the new addition. The clarity of plan is established in the centrally located living core with private quarters on opposite sides.

The second strategy is the respectful echoing of the existing building’s inclination of volume, proportion, and materials to regain the clarify of form. The repetition of the original roof line with clearstories, the addition of large panes of glass, and the expression of the exposed post and beam structure erase the confluence between the old and the new, while reinforcing the mid-century movement it is a part of.

Location:
Indian Beach - Sapphire Shores, Sarasota, Florida

Status:
Completion, 2018

AdRizer is a local, young, and fast growing tech company. In their search for a new space to accommodate their growing staff, they sought a 5,000 sf space on the second floor of a mid-century commercial building, also known as the BOTA Center, to relocate their new corporate headquarters.

The BOTA Center was built in 1957 by the Badcock family for their furniture store, the Baker Badcock Furniture Store, that remained in this location until 2005. Unfortunately, the building remained vacant and was frequently vandalized until it was rescued in 2015 by a developer that recognized the beauty in this mid-century building. In an effort to preserve the historic features of the building, such as the exposed post-and-beam steel structure, the original terrazzo floor, and thin aluminum window frames, the new Owner successfully went through the process of historically designating the BOTA Center. His goal was to restore the building as a shell for future tenant spaces. The second floor that will be occupied by AdRizer was used as a storage space for the furniture inventory.

In search of inspiration to develop the space for AdRizer, we became intrigued by their logo and decided to utilize their brand identity to generate a conceptual idea. The “A” of the AdRizer logo appears to be a strip, or a band of several colors, that has been folded several times onto itself into a spatial shape of the letter “A”. We decided to investigate the shape of the band by cutting and unfolding it. The resulting shape is a zigzagging pattern that we then overlaid onto the blank shell building floor plan. This investigation into the unfolded “A” created a spatial link between the two existing access stairs to the second floor, and therefore created a circulation flow from one end of the space to the other. We proceeded by plugging the elements of the program on each side of the zigzagging line. The edges of the line became a shape generator for the spaces on either side.

The result of this process generates a dynamic and flowing floor plan that consists of two major areas. The largest area, on the west side of the building, is know as the “bullpen”. Shaped in a zigzag pattern, it is comprised of an open work area with computer work stations. Enclosed conference and engineering rooms are located on each side of it and their edges are formed by the physical attributes of the conceptual organizer. The interior space of each of these rooms takes on one of the colors from the AdRizer logo to further demonstrate the brand identity. The second area, located on the east side of the building is the “play” area. Because of the virtual nature of a tech firms work, the staff has flexible work hours that allows them to work at any time of the day or night, to stay as long as they need without leaving the building, and to adjust their work schedule to accommodate other time zones. With the need to be present in their office space for long periods of time, the “play” area allows the staff to take breaks and recharge by playing pool, ping-pong, or video games. The large kitchen can be used for lunch breaks and the large island can serves as a conference table for impromptu meetings.

Location:
Rosemary District - Sarasota, Florida

Status:
Completion, 2017

AdRizer is a local, young, and fast growing tech company. In their search for a new space to accommodate their growing staff, they sought a 5,000 sf space on the second floor of a mid-century commercial building, also known as the BOTA Center, to relocate their new corporate headquarters.

The BOTA Center was built in 1957 by the Badcock family for their furniture store, the Baker Badcock Furniture Store, that remained in this location until 2005. Unfortunately, the building remained vacant and was frequently vandalized until it was rescued in 2015 by a developer that recognized the beauty in this mid-century building. In an effort to preserve the historic features of the building, such as the exposed post-and-beam steel structure, the original terrazzo floor, and thin aluminum window frames, the new Owner successfully went through the process of historically designating the BOTA Center. His goal was to restore the building as a shell for future tenant spaces. The second floor that will be occupied by AdRizer was used as a storage space for the furniture inventory.

In search of inspiration to develop the space for AdRizer, we became intrigued by their logo and decided to utilize their brand identity to generate a conceptual idea. The “A” of the AdRizer logo appears to be a strip, or a band of several colors, that has been folded several times onto itself into a spatial shape of the letter “A”. We decided to investigate the shape of the band by cutting and unfolding it. The resulting shape is a zigzagging pattern that we then overlaid onto the blank shell building floor plan. This investigation into the unfolded “A” created a spatial link between the two existing access stairs to the second floor, and therefore created a circulation flow from one end of the space to the other. We proceeded by plugging the elements of the program on each side of the zigzagging line. The edges of the line became a shape generator for the spaces on either side.

The result of this process generates a dynamic and flowing floor plan that consists of two major areas. The largest area, on the west side of the building, is know as the “bullpen”. Shaped in a zigzag pattern, it is comprised of an open work area with computer work stations. Enclosed conference and engineering rooms are located on each side of it and their edges are formed by the physical attributes of the conceptual organizer. The interior space of each of these rooms takes on one of the colors from the AdRizer logo to further demonstrate the brand identity. The second area, located on the east side of the building is the “play” area. Because of the virtual nature of a tech firms work, the staff has flexible work hours that allows them to work at any time of the day or night, to stay as long as they need without leaving the building, and to adjust their work schedule to accommodate other time zones. With the need to be present in their office space for long periods of time, the “play” area allows the staff to take breaks and recharge by playing pool, ping-pong, or video games. The large kitchen can be used for lunch breaks and the large island can serves as a conference table for impromptu meetings.

Location:
Rosemary District - Sarasota, Florida

Status:
Completion, 2017

Passionate art lovers, the owners of this condominium couldn't imagine displaying their cherished art collection in the existing space. Built in the mid-80’s, the interior spaces displayed numerous awkward angled walls, useless shelves created by partial height walls, and a heavy stair structure that encumbered the flow of the linear floor plan. The Owners’ desire was to create a gallery for a museum-quality collection that would allow their art pieces to be the focal point of their lives.

With purity of form and materials as a required aesthetic, the conceptual idea for this project evolved in the direction that their art collection needed to be contained in a simple but elegant receptacle. As many ancient cultures have done in the past with their most valuable treasures such as food, perfume, or jewelry, the purpose of this container is to display but also protect the Owners' treasure to become a Vessel of Art (VOA).

To achieve the purity of form, the existing volume was simplified with the elimination of the angled walls and the extension of the partial height walls to the ceilings to create larger wall surfaces for art display. The existing grounded stair was replaced with a light cantilevered steel stair with hung cable railing that seems to float in space. In addition, the purity of materials resulted from the use of simple but honest elements. White surfaces create a uniform backdrop for the art, light wood paneling warms the space and separates one surface from another, glass doors and railings allow light to flow from room to room, and steel cables allow the stair to defy gravity becoming in itself an art piece in their treasured collection.

Location:
Longboat Key, Florida

Status:
Completion, 2017

LS1 house is located in the historic Lido shores neighborhood known for its modernist architecture, and mostly for its high concentration of mid-century Sarasota School of Architecture buildings. This particular movement is a reflection of Florida’s subtropical climate and landscape. It originated from Philip Hiss’ desire to develop buildings that provided comfort to the inhabitants in hot and humid conditions at a time when air conditioning was new technology and unaffordable by most people.

With the help of local architects such as Ralph Twitchell, Paul Rudolph, and Tim Seibert, an architectural language that responded to these climatic conditions emerged. Large overhangs and trellises were used to shade the buildings’ facades and outdoor spaces. Cross ventilation was generated with the use of large operable windows located on opposing sides of the main living space. Open floor plans allowed breezes to pass through the interior spaces, further enhancing the natural cooling effect. The exposed post-and-beam structure extending beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows minimizing the boundary between the inside and outside. The elevated structures floating above the landscape took advantage of the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay views.

By the fact that these concepts and principles are still relevant and applicable to today’s Florida climate and landscape, the aesthetic of the few buildings that are left seems to have transcended time.

LS1 embodies this philosophy by using a similar language of architectural features.

The house consists of three pavilions organized around a central axis that longitudinally bisects the site and relates to the circulation from the public street to the private backyard. The central axis creates a sense of mystery as it physically changes form, percolates light, and filters views as one ascends towards the house. From the street, and as part of the entry sequence, the scale of the ground plane is broken down to a pedestrian scale, leading people below an overhead brise-soleil structure that filters light and provides shade. The overhead structure becomes solid when approaching the hidden front door to signify a transition along the axis. Only a hint of the brise-soleil is visible beyond the white glass that separates the public from the private side of the house. Beyond the white translucent glass, the brise-soleil continues, extending over a portion of the lap pool. The filtered light and shadows projects on the translucent glass and is visible to passers by and guests as they continue along the entry sequence. The play of light on the glass surface is ever-changing with the time of day and seasonal sun patterns, further enhancing the arrival experience.

Along the central axis, the three pavilions’ volumes transition from a solid and grounded garage on the street side, to a semi-opaque and floating guest/office pavilion that orients both to the street and private yard, and finally to a transparent main living volume that opens itself only to the private yard. On the public side, the dimension of the horizontal wood siding that is applied to the garage pavilion breaks the scale of the volume and minimizes its mass-like appearance. Operable slatted shutters on the guest/office pavilion offer filtered views to and from the structure. They also regulate light and shade levels and can be adjusted according to the intensity of the sunlight at different times during the year. Partially opaque and partially transparent, the elevated pavilion appears light as it hovers above the surrounding landscape. Finally, the third pavilion’s transparency is achieved by exposing its post-and-beam structure and providing floor-to ceiling windows that open onto the lap pool and private back yard. Cross ventilation is provided by the absence of interior walls in the public spaces and the location of operable windows and doors on opposing sides of the living spaces. Large overhangs were designed to restrict the intense Florida sunlight and heat from penetrating the pavilion during the summer months, while allow sunlight to filter in during the colder months to provide warmth.

Location:
Lido Shores - Sarasota, Florida

Status:
Completion, 2018

LS1 house is located in the historic Lido shores neighborhood known for its modernist architecture, and mostly for its high concentration of mid-century Sarasota School of Architecture buildings. This particular movement is a reflection of Florida’s subtropical climate and landscape. It originated from Philip Hiss’ desire to develop buildings that provided comfort to the inhabitants in hot and humid conditions at a time when air conditioning was new technology and unaffordable by most people.

With the help of local architects such as Ralph Twitchell, Paul Rudolph, and Tim Seibert, an architectural language that responded to these climatic conditions emerged. Large overhangs and trellises were used to shade the buildings’ facades and outdoor spaces. Cross ventilation was generated with the use of large operable windows located on opposing sides of the main living space. Open floor plans allowed breezes to pass through the interior spaces, further enhancing the natural cooling effect. The exposed post-and-beam structure extending beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows minimizing the boundary between the inside and outside. The elevated structures floating above the landscape took advantage of the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay views.

By the fact that these concepts and principles are still relevant and applicable to today’s Florida climate and landscape, the aesthetic of the few buildings that are left seems to have transcended time.

LS1 embodies this philosophy by using a similar language of architectural features.

The house consists of three pavilions organized around a central axis that longitudinally bisects the site and relates to the circulation from the public street to the private backyard. The central axis creates a sense of mystery as it physically changes form, percolates light, and filters views as one ascends towards the house. From the street, and as part of the entry sequence, the scale of the ground plane is broken down to a pedestrian scale, leading people below an overhead brise-soleil structure that filters light and provides shade. The overhead structure becomes solid when approaching the hidden front door to signify a transition along the axis. Only a hint of the brise-soleil is visible beyond the white glass that separates the public from the private side of the house. Beyond the white translucent glass, the brise-soleil continues, extending over a portion of the lap pool. The filtered light and shadows projects on the translucent glass and is visible to passers by and guests as they continue along the entry sequence. The play of light on the glass surface is ever-changing with the time of day and seasonal sun patterns, further enhancing the arrival experience.

Along the central axis, the three pavilions’ volumes transition from a solid and grounded garage on the street side, to a semi-opaque and floating guest/office pavilion that orients both to the street and private yard, and finally to a transparent main living volume that opens itself only to the private yard. On the public side, the dimension of the horizontal wood siding that is applied to the garage pavilion breaks the scale of the volume and minimizes its mass-like appearance. Operable slatted shutters on the guest/office pavilion offer filtered views to and from the structure. They also regulate light and shade levels and can be adjusted according to the intensity of the sunlight at different times during the year. Partially opaque and partially transparent, the elevated pavilion appears light as it hovers above the surrounding landscape. Finally, the third pavilion’s transparency is achieved by exposing its post-and-beam structure and providing floor-to ceiling windows that open onto the lap pool and private back yard. Cross ventilation is provided by the absence of interior walls in the public spaces and the location of operable windows and doors on opposing sides of the living spaces. Large overhangs were designed to restrict the intense Florida sunlight and heat from penetrating the pavilion during the summer months, while allow sunlight to filter in during the colder months to provide warmth.

Location:
Lido Shores - Sarasota, Florida

Status:
Completion, 2018