According to the event’s press release, SarasotaMOD Weekend is “honoring the 100th birth year of Paul Rudolph, the great 20th Century American architect and early pioneer of the Sarasota School of Architecture Movement. The Sarasota Architectural Foundation‘s fifth annual festival of mid-century modern architecture will bring national attention to Rudolph’s acclaimed designs and feature public tours of Rudolph-designed structures on Casey, Siesta, and Lido Keys.”
So, what is SarasotaMOD Weekend?
“SarasotaMOD Weekend is about celebrating our city’s unique mid-century contribution to modernist architecture,” said Christopher S. Wilson, PhD, Chairman of the Board, Sarasota Architectural Foundation (SAF). “This year’s event is all about one of the many figures behind that contribution: Paul Rudolph, a giant of 20th-century architecture who designed more structures in Sarasota than anywhere else in the world.”
The event takes place November 9th through the 11th.
Honoring Paul Rudolph
Here is a brief overview of the events celebrating the life and work of the famed architect.
Friday, November 9:
The SarasotaMOD Opening Party kicks off the weekend’s festivities at Rudolph’s Burkhardt Residence. “Guests may tour the Rudolph-designed home, enjoy live music and refreshments, and hear the City of Sarasota proclaim November 5-11 as ‘Paul Rudolph Week’.”
Saturday, November 10:
“Paul Goldberger, Pulitzer Prize-winning architectural critic, will present a lecture on ‘The Rudolph Legacy,’ and architectural historian Tim Rohan will host a panel discussion on ‘Reassessing Rudolph’ at a breakfast session at Ringling College of Art + Design’s Larry Thompson Academic Center. Attendees can also view the 1983 film ‘Spaces: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph’.
Goldberger will lead a limited public tour of the interiors of the Burkhardt Residence on Casey Key and Sanderling Beach Club on Siesta Key, followed by a tour of the exterior of Sarasota High School with SAF Chair and Ringling College Professor Christopher Wilson.
Saturday, November 10 and Sunday, November 11:
The weekend also includes “Siesta Key Trolley Tours, as well as guided and self-guided tours of Rudolph-designed buildings in the Lido Shores neighborhood, a midcentury modern gem. Throughout the weekend, Rudolph’s drawings of unbuilt projects, curated by sculptor Nathan Skiles, will be on display at Sarasota’s Art Center, while new items will be on sale at MOD Pop-Up Shops.”
Not heading to Florida, but still want to be part of the event? SAF is holding an auction—benefiting its educational and advocacy programs. Online bidding begins October 23 and ends on Sunday, November 11. Bid for a chance to claim auction items such as an archival pigment print of the Cocoon House signed by artist John Pirman, overnight stays at the recently restored Cocoon House, and the Revere Quality House, and guest experiences at the Harkavy and Umbrella Houses.
For more a detailed schedule and tickets, visit www.SarasotaMOD.com.
The Sarasota Architectural Foundation (SAF) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that educates, advocates, and celebrates on behalf of the Sarasota School of Architecture’s significant contributions to midcentury American architecture. For more information, visit saf-srq.org.
