The Hilton Leech Studio, an iconic product of the Sarasota School of Architecture. Provided photo.

John Ringling dreamed of this. Since Ringling’s arrival in 1909, Sarasota has become an artistic haven. The roots of the city’s cultural legacy run deep, starting with the arrival of the circus and successive opening of The Ringling Museum of Art, continuing on through the blossoming of Ringling College and the artistic community post WWII to what is known as Florida’s Cultural Coast today. Alongside that rich history, however, another artistic legacy was carved, albeit this one more structural than the others.

The Sarasota School of Architecture or Sarasota Modern, is a regional style of post-war modern architecture that permeates throughout the area. Spearheaded by architects Ralph Twitchell and Paul Rudolph, buildings such as Riverview High School, Sarasota High School, Lido Shore’s Umbrella House and countless others are evidence of the movement. This weekend, Architecture Sarasota is celebrating Sarasota’s rich history of contemporary architecture with MOD Weekend 2025, from November 14-16.

Aptly themed Moderns That Matter, the weekend is based on Architecture Sarasota’s exhibition and accompanying publication Moderns That Matter: The Sarasota 100. The Sarasota 100, a chronological listing of 100 places and spaces that have shaped Sarasota from 1925 until present day, was created to tell the story of Sarasota—from a small circus city to a center of art, culture and design on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

“1925 was the year that Ralph Twitchell came to Sarasota to oversee the construction of the Ca’ d’Zan. We use 1925 as a starting point, because Twitchell is really the individual who introduced modern design principles to Sarasota,” says Morris (Marty) Hylton, president of Architecture Sarasota. “The Sarasota 100 chronicles 100 years of our architectural heritage and is a celebration of our built environment.”

The goal of the Sarasota 100 was to identify not only what is historically significant within Sarasota’s built environment—from single-family residences to public spaces to commercial buildings and beyond—but to also create a connection point for those who call Sarasota home. Amongst MOD Weekend’s programing is a Moderns That Matter symposium on Saturday morning, followed by a self-guided or guided shuttle tour of the residential architecture featured in the Sarasota 100. The tour will show the historical span of contemporary architecture in Sarasota—from houses such as Lustron Home #1687, one of roughly 2,500 ‘kit homes’ from the Lustron Corporation to Hive Architects’ heralded Shibusa house, built in 2020 on Siesta Key.

“There are so many people here that don’t know about the Sarasota School of Architecture, that don’t understand architecture and design’s role in our community and that Sarasota is this global epicenter for design innovation,” says Hylton.

The Hilton Leech Studio, an iconic product of the Sarasota School of Architecture. Provided photo.

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