DoCoMoMo Florida raises awareness about historic architecture in peril

Miami Marine Stadium, a landmark in peril.

The formation of DoCoMoMo Florida was celebrated at the Miami Art Museum in October 2007. Terry Riley, then director of the museum and a member of the group’s advisory board, called it an important event.

I interviewed three of the officers—Enrique Madia, Jean-François Lejeune and Allan Shulman—and asked them why they feel so strongly about educating the public as to the importance of modernist architecture, many examples of which are threatened by development or ruin.

“We have been dealing with an increasingly diversified view of modernism here in Florida as key buildings are approaching and surpassing the 50-year mark that allows them to be protected,” says Shulman. “This means that many post-war buildings could be listed. Other buildings that are just under the marker are threatened—the Americana in Bal Harbour was an important example of this. What this means is that the view of modernism in Florida is broadening and we feel that’s an important message to put out there.” Presently, monuments to modernism like the Miami Marine Stadium by Hilario Candela are falling into ruin.

"How many people actually realize that there’s a Frank Lloyd Wright building on the Florida Southern College campus in Lakeland?” Lejeune asks. “How many people realize that the Sea Tower Apartments were designed by one of MiMo’s most important architects, Igor Polevitzky? We need to build awareness as development in this state—though not as aggressive as it was—continues at an alarming clip and swallows up historically significant buildings.”

Madia, whom DoCoMoMo credits for raising awareness about the Miami Marine Stadium and the Bacardi Building, has moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to pursue new work opportunities since the organization’s formation. To keep up with the group’s events and to learn about any new landmark that becomes threatened, log onto the DoCoMoMo Florida web site. One of the latest examples of buildings in peril is the Weidling House, designed by J.M. Peterman, which has both Art Deco and Bauhaus influences. I posted the original preface to my new book Four Florida Moderns: The Architecture of Alberto Alfonso, René González, Chad Oppenheim & Guy W. Peterson on my International Design Examiner page. It highlights how those Bauhaus influences made it into Florida’s architectural vernacular. I hope you enjoy both and would love it if you’d leave me your comments. To keep up with booksingings and events, go to my Amazon Author's page or my page on BookTour.com.