Friday, December 30, 2005

Californication?

Harold Bubil's blog from Dec 9, is titled "Enough Already" and takes a few shots at current architecture trends in Sarasota.

Of the Med-Rev trend, Harold says:
We've been there and done that.... It's time for something new. Are developers listening?

The new condo just proposed for 1740 Main St. in Sarasota is described as "urban Mediterranean" architecture -- whatever that is. You can't tell from the rendering.

Frank Folsum Smith is quoted:
"One of the unsaid things that architects across the board react to is this 'Mediterraneanization' or 'Californication' that we’ve been seeing happening in this city for 20 or more years," Smith went on to say.

Carl Abbott also weighs in:
"We want a diverse code. The Ritz is a reject Walt Disney building. And it could have been great. Some of the Ritzes are wonderful."We want a city that is vibrant and open to creativity -- and not faking some past period," said Abbott.

We're glad there is a discussion of the "Californication" of architecture in Sarasota. Our history includes a very exciting period of architectural excellence - the Sarasota School of Architecture. The good old days had some wonderful moments.........


Urban Mediterranean? Graphic from SHT.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune used to have an architecture critic.

At a time when there is more building going on than ever before, and much controversy about the aesthetics of the buildings, this is an important service the paper should reinstitute.