From Coral to Concrete. The Moderns of Coral Gables: 1960-1980

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From Coral to Concrete. The Moderns of Coral Gables: 1960-1980

Credit

Robin Hill

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See it to believe it! Discover the unique mix of Coral Gables’ modern architectural heritage. 
 
Covering several blocks, this bus/walking tour will feature several glass and concrete structures including Brutalist and Neo-Brutalist commercial buildings designed by prominent local, national, and international architects during a 20-year span from 1960s through the 1980s. The 2-hour tour will showcase about 12 notable buildings by such architects as O.K. Houstoun, Walter Klements, Morris Lapidus, Roney Mateu, Albert J. Socol, and others. 
 

The main attractions are walking distance around the city’s downtown area. One stop with refreshments will offer a personalized external tour of a 1970s Brutalist beauty undergoing a transformation by Perkins + Will after being rescued from total demolition. Another opportunity will be a short visit and external tour of the recent restoration and addition of an iconic 1960s government building. 
 
The tour will feature at least one Morris Lapidus design as well as a design by his son-in-law, Maurice Weintraub. Tour participants will see the 1980s “ziggurat” design “Lion Building” by architect O.K. Houstoun who designed many projects around the city and beyond during this era.  

 

The tour will be led by Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables President, Dr. Karelia Martinez Carbonell and Mr. Albert Menendez, architect and immediate past chairman of the Coral Gables Historic Preservation Board. He presently serves on the Coral Gables Landmark Advisory Board.

 

Bus and Walking Tour 

Thursday 5/30, 9:30–11:30am 

$95

Bus departs from Mayfair House Hotel. Attendees may disembark at either the University of Miami or the hotel.


All tours will be submitted for AIA credits. 

Tour Leaders

Karelia Martinez Carbonell

Karelia Martinez Carbonell holds a Doctorate in Public Administration with a concentration on non-profit management. For her, it is a privilege to serve her community. She is civic-minded and gives back as much as possible. Karelia has served on numerous nonprofit boards in Coral Gables. And since 2013, she has served as president of the Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables (HPACG) where she leads the organization’s mission of promoting the understanding and importance of historic resources and their preservation. 

Albert Menendez

Albert Menendez is President and Principal of M Group International, Inc., in Coral Gables, Florida. He manages a diverse facilities and infrastructure management practice centered on Healthcare, Higher Education, Government, Corporate and Historic Preservation projects, and has been focused on applying modern technology advancements and processes to the documentation, preservation and restoration of historical buildings. Albert currently is serving on the Coral Gables Landmark Advisory Board.

2024 National Symposium Miami: Streams of Modernity, Postwar to Postmodern

Join us in Miami and Coral Gables, Florida, from May 29 to June 1, 2024, and experience one of the country’s richest collections of mid-century and postmodern architecture. Entitled Streams of Modernity: Postwar to Postmodern, the 2024 National Symposium is a collaboration of Docomomo US and the Docomomo US/Florida chapter.