Jacksonville Architecture

FOUR FOR THE FUTURE

The lens of historic preservation is sometimes so rigidly focused on the past that the landmark status of contemporary architecture is frequently overlooked. It is no great revelation that, just as old buildings were once new, new buildings will someday become old. Yet it is important to see vintage buildings in the context of an ever-changing, growing city. Jacksonville's architecture chronicles the city's evolution, and buildings being designed today are part of the continuum of what Jacksonville will someday become.

A century from now, observers will see our presently revered buildings from the 1920's as only slightly older than our 1970's structures. It is difficult to say what those distant judges will view as significant in our twentieth-century architecture. Also, it is intriguing to imagine which of our present landmarks will have been preserved.

The merits of well-designed buildings will presumably be recognized then as much as now. The fabric of our city will continue to be enriched by the blending of the old and new. It is therefore appropriate that this study of Jacksonville's historic architecture should conclude with a glimpse of a few of our probable landmarks of the future, a sampling of award-winning buildings from the past two decades.

GULF LIFE TOWER
1301 Gulf Life Drive
DATE: 1965-1967
ARCHITECT: Welton Beckett & Associates - Los Angeles
BUILDER: Auchter Company

Rising 433 feet high, the Gulf Life Tower was the tallest pre-cast, post-tensioned concrete structure in the world when it was completed in 1967. Except for a central core, all of the structural support is exposed, resulting in an interior space with no columns. Eight tapered vertical piers support horizontal beams cantilevered to the four corners. Steel cables unite the various sections and provide the dynamic tension between them. Each floor is crisply articulated, providing a sense of human scale and poetic elegance. Soaring above the St. Johns River, the Gulf Life Tower dominates the South Bank area of Downtown and is one of the truly great high-rise buildings in the southeastern United States.

GERALD DAKE RESIDENCE
1273 San Pablo Road
DATE: 1973-1974
ARCHITECT: Robert C. Broward
BUILDER: Donald Back

Fitted intricately between several large live oaks, this multi-level residence of cedar and glass overlooks the marshes of San Pablo Creek. It is set upon twelve massive "stilts," making it resistant to high winds and flooding, as well as allowing it to blend organically with its site. A central circular staircase rises from the pool and carport beneath the house to the fourth-story lookout. Decks and balconies are sheltered by great cantilevered eaves, and expansive windows provide panoramic views of the natural surroundings. Finely crafted wooden details are abundant, adding to the delightful vistas from this house that harmonizes with its environment.

NEIGHBORHOOD SENIOR CITIZENS' CENTER
150 East First Street
DATE: 1980
ARCHITECT: Pappas Associates, Architects, Inc.
BUILDER: Wesley of Florida, Inc.

Providing recreational facilities for retired citizens, this federally-funded center emphasizes functionality within a delightful geometric environment. The cast-in-place concrete structure contains no rectangular rooms, but is instead composed of interlaced triangles and hexagons, which create an unbroken flow of space. Its exterior is a striking piece of terraced sculpture. Amid the dramatic open spaces of its interior, the building provides a sense of coziness and attention to the special needs of the elderly.

WILLIAM MORGAN RESIDENCE
1945 Oceanfront, Atlantic Beach
DATE: 1973
ARCHITECT: William Morgan
BUILDER: Ross Construction Co.

This soaring expanse of glass and wood takes its form from the sand dune upon which it rests. Its four levels descend the eastern slope in a series of balconies that focus on the ocean view. Lacking the heavy bulkheading typical of most other beach houses, the Morgan residence is open to the sea. Its lowest level, which is built to withstand flooding, is used for storage of boats and surf boards. A central staircase leads from the beach to second-story twin bedrooms. The third story opens into a large living space, which is overlooked by the open balcony of the master bedroom. Both upper levels share a high, peaked ceiling. This innovative design is uniquely suited to its oceanfront site.