The Florida House, 1945-1965

Often one story tall and built of concrete block—with a large screened-in porch, Florida room (more commonly known today as a sunroom), louvered windows, and carport—the Florida House became a popular vernacular form in South Florida after the Second World War. Not simply the result of builders copying designs by known architects like Igor Polevitzky and Paul Rudolph on the cheap, the idea of the Florida House was cultivated by builders and developers hoping to lure northerners to the Sunshine State. Using colorful promotional materials and archival evidence, scholar Anna Andrzejewski explores how these efforts were so successful that within a generation, both coasts of South Florida were transformed into a sprawling suburban landscape.

Organized with Miami Design Preservation League and presented as part of Art Deco Weekend.

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