While getting an exclusive first media look at the completed and furnished Walker Guest House Replica a few days ago at The Ringling, it dawned on me.
The original Walker Guest House was designed by architect Paul Rudolph in 1952, when he was 34 years old. It was built for the Walker family on Sanibel Island, where it still stands. Dan Snyder of the Sarasota Architectural Foundation thought of the idea to build a replica of the modernist icon as an educational exhibit. The replica, seen here, will open Nov. 6 on the grounds of The Ringling. Staff photo / Harold Bubil; 10-20-2015.
Sarasota’s architectural community is riding a high that is especially noteworthy.
This small city has not one, but two volunteer architectural support organizations, and both of them have achieved impressive goals this year.
First, the Center for Architecture Sarasota completed its $500,000 renovation of the 1960 Scott Building on Orange Avenue, and is sharing the award-winning structure, renamed for lead benefactor Nathalie McCulloch, with the University of Florida’s CityLab master’s degree program and the local office of the American Institute of Architects.
The McCulloch Pavilion has hosted a number of events in its Don Chapell Gallery, and New York architect Toshiko Mori spoke in the building’s Cynthia Peterson lecture hall earlier earlier this month as part of CFAS’ Architecture and Design Month Series.
The hall is aptly named, as Peterson has been the driving force behind CFAS since it was founded three years ago. She continues to entertain and inform with her online “A Building a Day” series, which she finds herself writing at 4 a.m. She also has a day job.
Now, in time for its second annual Sarasota MOD Weekend, the Sarasota Architectural Foundation has completed construction and furnishing of the Walker Guest House Replica (see feature story on this page). It will open to the public on Nov. 6 as MOD Weekend gets underway, and will stand as an educational museum piece for 11 months at The Ringling.
The house was envisioned as an educational exhibit, bringing the lessons of midcentury modern design to a new audience. From lead benefactor Dr. Michael Kalman to architect/builder Joe King, consultant Joyce Owens, project organizers Elliott Himelfarb and Janet Minker, and idea man Dan Snyder, the SAF took a long-shot dream and made it a reality.
Two organizations, two buildings, two celebrations. No wonder Sarasota is a bright star on the architectural map.
