Sarasota Herald – Tribune Headquarters
A 72,000 sf building for newspaper offices and broadcasting studios. The client wanted a design that would reflect the heritage of this part of the state by falling within the local architectural idiom. The architects sought to capture this modernity while at the same time turning to the next page, taking it a step further. Modern technology was the key to accomplishing this as it allowed for a building that was far more weather resistant and fuel-efficient with vast expanses of hurricane-resistant glass.
To give the structure the “open airy feel” the building is placed beneath what appears to be a stand-alone roof – an undulating folded plane floating above ground on support columns. This structure becomes a giant overhang protecting the building and forming a covered plaza for the entrance lobby/exhibit space that is housed within a two-story glass cube viewable by pedestrians. The two floors of offices are housed within a large rectangular glass box that rests on pilotis suspended one-story above ground. Depending on the angle and view, the glass box appears to float suspended from the roof. The elevated offices are thus protected from ground level flooding during hurricanes. The glass is banded horizontally and vertically -a subliminal reminder of the overhangs and louvers on landmark buildings in the area. The offices have flexible floor plans allowing for change mandated by technological innovations. The employee cafeteria, sited on top above the entrance, adjoins a covered terrace that provides a dramatic space for staging community events.
* AIA Miami | Award of Merit in Architecture, Unbuilt Category
* AIA Miami | Award of Excellence
* Society of American Registered Architects (SARA) | Design Award of Honor
* Business Week/Architectural Record | Citation for Excellence
* Sarasota Manatee Business Magazine | Commercial Design of Distinction Award
