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BUSINESS NEWS ARCHITECT PAUL RUDOLPH’S “UMBRELLA HOUSE” NAMED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Paul Rudolph’s internationally acclaimed Umbrella House has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The iconic house, one of Rudolph’s first solo projects as a young architect, was commissioned by entrepreneur Philip Hiss in 1952 to be the eye-catchingmodel home for his new Lido Shores development. Architectural Digest has called the building “one of the five most remarkable houses of the mid-twentieth century.” Originally fabricated of wooden uprights and tomato stake slats, the home’s “umbrella” shade structure was damaged and then lost in a tropical storm in the 1960s. The house remained “umbrella-less” for 50 years, until its restoration was begun in 2011. Owners Anne and Bob Essner received notification of the NRHP designation in February. “We knew this house was special and that people should care about its preservation,” says Anne, “but we also knew how relentless development forces make these mid-century structures vulnerable to destruction. Once we found out Umbrella House was for sale, we decided we wanted to be the ones to
safeguard its future. This beautiful building is one of Sarasota’s architectural gems and we are delighted this has been recognized by the National Register.” The Umbrella House is only the 78th building in Sarasota County to receive the historic designation, and only the ninth Sarasota School of Architecture design on that list. Since the restoration, the Essners have given extensive access to the Sarasota Architectural Foundation, which hosts on-site events and fundraising tours of the house. “The Umbrella House amplifies the ‘can-do’ optimism of post-war America,” says SAF board chair Christopher Wilson. “Rudolph created intelligent architecture-simple, well- considered and beautiful. It’s unlike anything that came before it.” “This designation is validation,” says architect Greg Hall, who oversaw the four-year restoration. “I believe there’s long been a prejudice against modernism in the national conversation. To me, this represents a broadening of perspectives. The Sarasota School of Architecture has always been important for us here in Sarasota. Now its importance is being recognized throughout the United States.” The Umbrella House restoration received the
2016 Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Outstanding Achievement Award, 2016 Florida AIA Honor Award of Excellence for Historic Preservation/Restoration and the 2016 Florida Gulf Coast Chapter AIA Honor Award for Historic Preservation and Rehabilitation. The Sarasota School of Architecture movement, which attracted like-minded architects drawn to the creative energy of those already working in southwest Florida, found its inspiration in part from the post-World War I European Bauhaus style. The Sarasota School is characterized by bold horizontal lines, open and airy layouts, innovative materials and a seamless integration within the surrounding Florida environment. Paul Marvin Rudolph was an American architect and the chair of Yale University’s Department of Architecture for six years, known for his use of concrete and highly complex floor plans. His most famous work is the Yale Art and Architecture Building, a spatially complex brutalist concrete structure. Rudoph passed away in 1997. 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 mid-century American architecture.
JASON HAYNES, from page 9
quickly gather as much accurate data as possible. However, the investigation is most efficient when the data contains all the information available at the scene. By using 3D scanners to collect information from the surrounding environment, in addition to the direct evidence, the scanner provides context to the scene. This additional information can be invaluable to the investigators and can then be used as evidence during court proceedings. UAS and incident reconstruction were both brought to our firm as new technologies and service offerings for our clients, which have both grown and evolved over time, like all technology does. When I helped bring 3D scanning to our firm in 2006, the equipment was cumbersome and took a very long time to be effective. Today, 3D scanners are smaller, faster, and much more capable. The same is true of drones. In 2010 when I started advocating for the use of UAS in survey mapping and inspections, the technology was relatively new to the survey world. The capabilities were limited and regulations had not been truly established like they are now. Today, the use of UAS has become a standard piece of essential equipment. Despite the technology and application advancements, the basics of how we as land surveyors perform our tasks are all based on the principles laid out by our ancient forefathers. It’s exciting to think and dream of what land surveyors will be able to do in the future! JASON HAYNES, LSIT, is an associate surveyor at Pennoni and also a licensed drone pilot. He has 19 years of experience providing surveying services to private development and governmental clients. He can be reached at jhaynes@pennoni.com.
would use a total station, or High Definition Laser Scanner 3D scanner if available, to get the necessary elevation information to do the volume calculations. But what if the pile is too large for the typical methods, where you can’t get all faces accurately? Or what if the pile is a material you can’t walk on, like salt? For these types of situations, using a UAS to fly around and over the material pile, gathering data on all faces, no matter the size or shape, is invaluable. The software accurately calculates the volume of the pile with all the information collected. “Today’s land surveyors still use equipment and instruments based on the same principles, however with technology constantly evolving, the term ‘land surveyor’ has truly become a moving target to define. And firms everywhere are tasked with integrating these new technologies into their core services.” We are also utilizing 3D scanners to digitally recreate crime scenes, vehicular accidents, or arson scenes. We can apply physics and other calculations to recreate the incident using the 3D measurable world collected from the 3D scanners and replay from a witness, victim, or any other perspective, as a part of an investigation. When a tragic accident occurs, the investigative teams want to be able to
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THE ZWEIG LETTER June 17, 2019, ISSUE 1301
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