Love Mid-Century Modern architecture? From Nov. 11–13, Sarasota, Fla., will celebrate that style with SarasotaMOD, a weekend of tours, lectures and exhibitions devoted to the Sarasota School of Architecture and the work of Victor Lundy. Presented by the Ringling College of Art and Design’s Sarasota Museum of Art and the Sarasota Architectural Foundation, the program offers architecture lovers a chance to explore landmark buildings, private homes and archival materials while hearing from historians and practicing architects.
Many events focus on Victor Lundy, whose early notebooks, sketches and watercolors are on display at Art Center Sarasota. The exhibition highlights studies and paintings of the Blue Pagoda Building, one of Lundy’s best-known local works and the current home of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. That building will also host the weekend’s kickoff cocktail reception, giving visitors a chance to see Lundy’s watercolor studies alongside the actual structure that inspired them.
Trolley tours will guide attendees to Lundy-designed sites and other Sarasota icons such as the Blue Pagoda Building, the Herron House and St. Paul Lutheran Fellowship Hall. Christopher Wilson, PhD, professor of architecture and design history at Ringling College, and Harold Bubil, real estate editor at the Herald-Tribune, will lead the tours and provide historical context and architectural interpretation.
In addition to public exhibitions and tours, the weekend program includes presentations, legacy talks and film screenings at Ringling College of Art and Design. Featured speakers include C. Ford Peatross, founder of the Library of Congress architectural archives, and architect Donna Kacmar, who is preparing a biography of Victor Lundy. The lineup brings together scholars and practitioners to discuss Lundy’s influence, the Sarasota School’s regional significance and the preservation of modernist architecture.
Visitors can also tour private Mid-Century homes by prominent Sarasota School architects such as Paul Rudolph, Edward “Tim” Siebert and William Rupp. These visits provide rare access to residential work that helped define Sarasota’s architectural identity in the mid-20th century, illustrating how climate, materials and local craftsmanship shaped a distinctive regional modernism.
SarasotaMOD offers a mix of visual art, archival materials, expert commentary and guided tours to celebrate a vibrant period in American architecture. Whether you are a student of design, a professional architect, or simply a fan of clean lines and thoughtful planning, the weekend provides multiple ways to engage with the buildings and ideas that made the Sarasota School a lasting chapter in modern architecture.