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michaelsaunders.com | 11 of John Ringling's Cà d' Zan. In 1936, he moved permanently to Sarasota starting an architectural office. He hired young Paul Rudolph in 1941, but it was not until Rudolph returned after graduating the Harvard University Graduate School of Design that they partnered to build many of the ground-breaking residences that are the foundation of the Sarasota School of Architecture. Sarasota captured international attention with its adaptation of Modernist Architecture, which gave special respect to southwest Florida's unique environment. The Sarasota School of Architecture does not refer to any particular design elements, but rather a way of thinking about design. Commonly referred to as Sarasota Modern, this new design school of thought led by Twitchell and Rudolph, was characterized by specific attention to terrain and climate, taking full advantage of a site's natural characteristics. This style of architecture emerged before the widespread use of air conditioning in homes, and as a result, paid particular attention to Florida's prevailing sea and cross breezes and sunlight patterns. The designs also included large sunshades, oversized sliding glass doors, floating staircases and walls of jalousie windows to take advantage of tropical views blended with geometric designs, flat roofs and clean, unadorned lines. One of the largest collections of the Sarasota Modern architecture is found on Lido Key. This once exclusively Sarasota Modern subdivision still includes many homes constructed during this time period, including Rudolph's famed Umbrella House located at 1300 Westway Drive. Other prominent Sarasota Modern structures include Riverview High School, the 1960 addition to Sarasota High School, the I.M. Pei Dormitories at New College of Florida, Sarasota City Hall and the Healy Guest House on Siesta Key, many of which are still standing today. Although the movement lost momentum in the late 1960s, many buildings constructed in the Sarasota Modern style have stood the test of time and a new wave of followers have continued the movement into the 21st century. Carl Abbott, a student of Rudolph, continues to design important structures throughout the area. Abbott upholds the original Sarasota Modern design principles today. His firm's mission personifies the ideals of the movement: "A common thread in the buildings is the celebration of natural light and the relationship of each building to its specific site. The natural environment is the dominant factor in determining the form of the architecture… the view lines, the sun angles, the winds, the landscape." A new wave of admirers influenced by the Sarasota Modern movement has been instrumental in preserving the legacy and, to an extent, reviving it. As we approach Paul Rudolph's 100th birthday in 2018, restoration and preservation projects coupled with current modernists such as Guy Peterson and, of course, Abbott, prove that The Sarasota School of Architecture is still very much alive. The movement that was driven by our local environment continues to serve as a source of wonder and inspiration, reinvented and re-purposed as the new generation of architects emerge.

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