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Sarasota MOD Weekend 2024: Restoring a Sense of Place in the Wake of Disaster

| Suncoast Post Staff |

Entering its second decade, Architecture Sarasota announces the  11th annual Sarasota MOD Weekend, a four-day architecture festival stewarding the legacy and global impact of the Sarasota School of Architecture (also known as Sarasota Modern). With beginnings in the mid-twentieth century, this regional movement of modern architecture has come to define the cultural landscape of Sarasota and continues to inspire architects and designers worldwide with its timeless principles, which appear increasingly relevant as we are faced with contemporary challenges. 

Held from November 14-17, Sarasota MOD Weekend 2024 takes place in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, leaving Sarasota and the surrounding South Florida Gulf Coast faced with an unprecedented recovery and rebuilding effort. In turn, this year’s MOD Weekend is dedicated to Restoring a Sense of Place, the organization’s disaster response program designed to support recovery efforts, including documentation, damage assessments, and rebuilding and adaptation guidance (outlined below). All net proceeds of MOD Weekend will support the Restoring a Sense of Place recovery activities.

  • Document conditions to assist in the recovery process and to mitigate the loss of character defining features and materials
  • Assess conditions and strategize approaches to recovery and adaptation to enhance resilience
  • Inform recovery and adaptation efforts through resources and guidance provided by the federal and state agencies and other sources
  • Nominate eligible properties for listing on the National Register of Historic Places which could provide more options when recovering a significant building and property
  • Adapt existing structures and the built environment to be more energy efficient and sustainable and resilient to storms and climatic events

One of the defining pillars of Sarasota School designs is environmental responsiveness. This principle, which prioritizes sustainable and resilient architecture that harmonizes with the natural environment, remains highly relevant today. The recent disasters have underscored the importance of the Sarasota School’s principles, and Architecture Sarasota has redoubled its commitment to serving as a resource and leader in adapting architecture to the challenges of climate change.

“As we begin the process of recovery and rebuilding, Architecture Sarasota will serve as a partner to assist residents and those who care about our community, providing the resources needed  to make informed decisions that help preserve and strengthen the region’s unique sense of place,” shares President Morris (Marty) Hylton III. “This unprecedented challenge presents a unique opportunity to reimagine our city. This year’s Sarasota MOD Weekend will bring together a diverse range of stakeholders and experts to explore innovative strategies for adapting the built environment to be more climate responsive and resilient.” 

Due to storm-related damage, the MOD Weekend itinerary has been slightly adjusted this year. The weekend will commence with the Community Gathering for Resilience, where Architecture Sarastoa will share details and progress of the Restoring a Sense of Place disaster response program and announce a larger, multifaceted initiative to inform climate and coastal adaptation, underscoring the organization’s commitment to environmentally responsive and resilient design. 

Furthermore, Architecture Sarasota has garnered support from esteemed organizations across the U.S., such as the Paul Rudolph Institute of New York City, the Paul Rudolph Foundation, USModernist, Docomomo US, and Palm Springs Modernism Week. These organizations have acknowledged the critical threat facing Sarasota’s architectural legacy and the imperative need for immediate action.

The accompanying symposium, titled “Adaptation By Design,” will be held at the Siesta Key Chapel. landscape architect and professor at the Toronto Metropolitan Nina-Marie E. Lister, professor and co-director of the Master of Landscape Architecture in Urban Design Program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design Chris Reed, cultural resource advocate Jenny Wolfe, and art and architectural conservator Rosa Lowinger will explore innovative strategies for adapting existing neighborhoods and structures and planning new buildings and developments that are more environmentally responsive. These leading experts will examine adaptation at three scales: urban and suburban areas, individual structures and ensembles, and materials and building systems. Information focuses on design and technical approaches while addressing policy and presenting public and private sector considerations. 

A variety of guided trolley and walking tours offered throughout the weekend provide attendees the chance to experience examples of the Sarasota School and the region’s renowned mid-century design, including in downtown Sarasota and the South Gate community. The Moderns That Matter: The Sarasota 100 tour held on Sunday will showcase a selection of buildings from the organization’s community-nominated list released in March. The list comprises both the most iconic and lesser-known places that contribute to Sarasota’s distinct sense of place, such as Paul Rudolph’s Umbrella House and Harkavy Residence in Lido Shores, which will be included on the tour.

Brunch with the Bunch: Sarasota School Next Generation at the Sarasota Art Museum will feature brunch and a moderated panel discussion with the second generation of architects who have extended and evolved the principles and impact of the Sarasota School. Among other topics, these experts will explore innovative approaches to designing in a coastal environment. 

Installed at Architecture Sarasota’s restored McCulloch Pavilion on South Orange Avenue, Preserving the Sarasota School of Architecture, curated by Marty Hylton and Kristine Ziedina, documents projects to preserve the remaining buildings and places of the Sarasota School and examines how these projects contribute to a better understanding of the movement and inform contemporary design. In 2008, the restoration of the 1956 Nokomis Beach Pavilion was completed in collaboration with the structure’s original architect Jack West. At the dedication, West proclaimed “If the building makes sense, if it is going to be useful to the public, it ought to be saved.” This project was a milestone as it was among the first postwar modern buildings to receive a grant from the Florida Division of Historical Resources, validating the need to preserve the state’s modernist architectural heritage. Nokomis is one among a series of efforts to preserve the legacy of the Sarasota School of Architecture beginning as early as the 1980s with the largely reconstruction and landmarking of the 1950 Healey Guest (“Cocoon”) House by Ralph Twitchell and Paul Rudolph. 

Also installed at McCulloch Pavilion is the Modern Masterpiece Uncovered: Former Galloway’s Furniture Showroom by Victor Lundy exhibition. The Galloway’s Furniture Showroom of Sarasota opened in 1959 designed by Victor Lundy, an architectural innovator and central figure of the Sarasota School of Architecture. A two-story, glass cylinder with an exposed “morning glory” laminated wood structure and suspended mezzanine, Galloway’s became an instant local landmark. A 1980s renovation concealed, but did not destroy much of the original architecture. This exhibition uncovers the modernist masterpiece by first exploring the building’s cultural and architectural significance and concluding with a digital reconstruction and proposal for restoring and reimagining the “Lundy Pavilion” as a multipurpose venue in service of the Sarasota Community.

Individual tickets and passes and package pricing are available and discounts are available for Architecture Sarasota Members. All net proceeds from Sarasota MOD Weekend will directly support Architecture Sarasota’s Restoring a Sense of Place recovery activities.

About Architecture Sarasota

Founded in 2021 with the coming together of the Center for Architecture Sarasota and the Sarasota Architecture Foundation, Architecture Sarasota is dedicated to stewarding the legacy of the Sarasota School and providing a forum for the education, advocacy and celebration of good design in the global built environment. The organization’s vision is to transform places and inspire lives. 

Photo- Paul Rudolph’s 1952 Sanderling Beach Cabanas after Hurricanes Helene and Milton)

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