Harold Bubil’s Buildings I Love, No. 13: Guy Peterson’s Spencer House

The home of Gary and Beth Spencer at 101 Prospect St., Sarasota, was designed by architect Guy Peterson. It is among the most progressive, and controversial, houses ever built in the area.

For architects, there is a fate worse than obtaining their do the job rejected by shoppers or criticized by the community.

It is getting their get the job done ignored.

“I would somewhat do a property that people today really don’t like than 1 they do not notice,” architect Guy Peterson reported next the completion of the bold, remarkable and controversial Spencer Home in 2013.

Peterson had absolutely nothing to stress about. The Spencer Residence produced as significantly general public reaction, maybe a lot more, as Paul Rudolph’s groundbreaking Umbrella Household (Florida Properties I Like, No. 7) did in 1953. The Herald-Tribune ran an article about the property on its front web page.

“I feel architecture should produce some emotion,” Peterson explained.

The house is flooded with ambient light, but very little direct sunlight. The perforated wall faces south, but the angle of the sun in winter is not low enough for its rays to shine directly into the interior.

The Spencer Dwelling, a analyze in geometric point of view, is primarily noteworthy because of its area. Lots of daring modern day houses are concealed from huge community watch on the barrier islands or powering gates, or the two. But this property is on occupied South Orange Avenue, not significantly from downtown, and in comprehensive check out of hundreds of automobiles a working day.

It’s also in an more mature community with lots of traditional properties. But householders Gary and Beth Spencer had been not worried to enable Peterson, an American Institute of Architects-Florida Gold Medal winner, make what is probably the statement of his occupation.