Metropolitan Dade County, Florida architectural proposals, 1976-1978

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Summary

Title:

Architectural proposals for the urban library and museum complex, Metropolitan Dade County, Florida

Dates:

1976-1978

Creators:

Metropolitan Dade County (Fla.). Office of the County Manager

Abstract:

The collection contains architectural bids from 12 teams which consist of architects, designers, and engineers competing to design a cultural complex in Dade County, Florida in the 1970s. Bids were submitted to the county in 1976. Villa Vizcaya Museum director Carl J. Weinhardt's materials were added to the collection in 1978. Materials consist of business credentials, business records and correspondence, financial documents, and government forms. The team of Philip Johnson and John Burgee Architects with Connell, Metcalf & Eddy was selected to design the multimillion dollar center, which was completed in 1985.

Extent:

8.59 Linear Feet (10 boxes)

Language:

Collection material is in English.

Preferred citation:

Finding aid for the Architectural proposals for the urban library and museum complex, Metropolitan Dade County, Florida, 1976-1978, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession no. 920066.

http://hdl.handle.net/10020/archives920066

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains architectural documents from 12 teams competing for the opportunity to design and build a cultural center in Dade County, Florida in the late 1970s. The teams consisted of the following firms: Philip Johnson/John Burgee Architects; Connell Metcalf & Eddy. Alfred Browning Parker Architects with Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM). Bouterse Perez & Fabregas; Harry Weese and Associations. Edward Durell Stone and Associates Inc.; Abele & Forfar, Architects; P.A.C.E., Inc., Consulting Engineers; Rider & Little Associates P.A., Architects; H.J. Ross Associates, Inc. Consulting Engineers. Ferendino Grafton Spillis Candela. Paul Rudolph Architect; Leff & Alexander Architects & Planners. Raymond Moriyama and Associates, Architects, and Planners; Joe Greenberg, A.I.A.; and Arden-Green, Architects. Sert, Jackson & Associates; Pancoast Borrelli Albaisa Architects. Severud, Knight, Boerema, Buff; Edward Larabee Barnes. The Smith, Korach, Hayet, Haynie Partnership; The Architects Collaborative, Inc. Watson, Deutschman, Kruse and Lyon; Marcel Breuer and Associates Architects. Yaros Associates Architects; Mitchell/Giurgola Architects; Sasaki Associates Landscape Architects; Skilling, Helle, Christian Robertson Structural Engineers. The collection also contains a binder with black and white prints dated 1978 from Vizcaya museum director Carl J. Weinhardt.

Materials include business records, credentials, government and financial forms, and/or prints and photographs of prior works and works-in-progress. Some of the binders have been retained in the collection for their research value. Also included in the collection are supplemental materials like the spiral notebook and published book showcasing additional work done by the firm of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill. While proposals may include documentation for projects from a range of dates, component dates refer to the year in which the proposals were compiled and submitted. When proposals feature projects with a range of dates, the dates are described in scope notes at the component level.

Biographical / historical:

In 1972, Dade County voters passed a 553-million-dollar bond which allowed for the construction of many local art and recreational projects, including the development of a cultural center. Dade County officials wanted to create a cultural center that would help rehabilitate what they perceived as a "dying downtown Miami." This center would include three buildings: a fine arts center, a museum of local history, and a public library. In 1996, the fine arts center became the Miami Art Museum before undergoing a redesign in 2013 to become the Jorge M. Perez Art Museum. The museum of local history was renamed HistoryMiami in 2010. Twelve architectural teams were assembled and submitted bids to design the center.

County officials chose renowned and controversial architect Philip Johnson, a one-time Fascist and Nazi sympathizer, along with co-designer John Burgee. Johnson was known for introducing the modern architectural "International Style" to the United States. His best known Modernist works include the Glass House in Connecticut and Pennzoil Place in Texas. Johnson was also the first recipient of the Pritzker Prize in 1979. The completion of the Cultural Center in 1985 was met with mixed reviews.

In 2022, County officials announced their hope to implement a redevelopment plan that would demolish the structure and make way for a mix of office space, apartments, and civic facilities. The Miami-Dade Public library, located within the cultural complex, contains an eight-panel work by artist Edward Ruscha.

Sources consulted:

Goldberger, Paul. "The New Age of Philip Johnson: Architecture's Elder Statesman is Now Reshaping the American Skyline Johnson." New York Times, May 14, 1978. ProQuest Historical Newspapers.

Glueck, Grace. "Miami: Seen in Period of Cultural Growth: Economic Benefits seen Advice from Hoving 'Jewel' of Government Center Annual Budget Design Competition Held." New York Times, May 21, 1978. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/miami-seen-period-cultural-growth/docview/123699977/se-2.

Pogrebin, Robin. "Miami Museum to be Renamed." New York Times, December 2, 2011. ProQuest Historical Newspapers.

Viglucci, Andres. "Miami-Dade's Cultural Center, Built to Save Downtown 40 Years Ago, May Be Scrapped." Miami Herald, September 4, 2022. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article264699049.html.

Acquisition information:

Source of acquisition unknown.

Processing information:

Jen Rasmussen processed the collection in 2024 under the supervision of Sarah Mackenzie Wade.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged alphabetically by architectural team, with the firm that was awarded the bid listed first.

Physical location:

Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the catalog record for this collection. Click here for the access policy.

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:: Jen Rasmussen
Date Encoded:: This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-08-07 10:49:56 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:: Open for use by qualified researchers.
Terms of access:: Contact Library Reproductions and Permissions.