Architectural institutions to merge, new entity names executive director

SARASOTA — Sarasota Architectural Foundation and Center for Architecture Sarasota will join forces as a single entity to be called “Architecture Sarasota.” The organization will be led by Anne-Marie Russell as executive director.

Sarasota Architectural Foundation is a nonprofit that educates, advocates and celebrates the Sarasota School of Architecture’s contributions to midcentury American architecture, according to a statement. Center for Architecture Sarasota is a nonprofit dedicated to heightening awareness of and appreciation for innovative architecture, good design and resilient urban planning. It is located in the historic Scott Building, an example of commercial architecture completed during the Sarasota School of Architecture. CFAS’s 2014 to 2015 restoration transformed the building into a museum-quality gallery, lecture hall, studio and office space. 

With complementary missions, avid interest in educational outreach and a commitment to the continuing influence of the Sarasota School of Architecture, SAF and CFAS see the power of combining their operations in pursuit of common goals, according to the press release. It also says having Russell join forces to direct this work sparked the ultimate impetus to act.

Previously, Russell was the founding executive director and curator of the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College. She stepped down from the role March 1. Russell was the college’s first employee dedicated to the new contemporary art museum. The museum is located in former Sarasota High School buildings, including a 1926 Collegiate Gothic structure designed by M. Leo Elliott and an adjacent building designed by Paul Rudolph, one of the major figures of the Sarasota School of Architecture. 

“Anne-Marie’s entrepreneurial cultural leadership, combined with a deep commitment to mission, has produced a significant legacy of institutions, programs and projects over the span of her career," says SAF Board Chair Anne Essner in the statement. "We look forward to experiencing the power of her transformational leadership as we position the Sarasota School to achieve its proper place in the global architectural conversation." 

Architecture Sarasota will retain the shared mission of both organizations, stewarding the legacy of the Sarasota School of Architecture as a point of departure for exploring “good design” globally to the present day, the release says. The hallmarks of the Sarasota School, notably sensitivity to climate and environmental concerns, aim to spur innovative, sustainable contemporary design. Architecture Sarasota will provide a forum to educate the community and a commitment to support resilient urban planning.

“I am deeply honored to take the helm of this new enterprise, born of two extraordinary organizations that have worked tirelessly to preserve and promote Sarasota's important architectural legacy," says Russell in the statement. "I am thrilled to help demonstrate how the lessons of our regional practitioners are more relevant today than ever."

After a decade of success celebrating the architects and architecture of the Sarasota School, SAF’s next era was to be marked by a commitment to scholarship and stewardship of its structures, leading toward establishing a “museum without walls” to ensure the preservation of key Sarasota School of Architecture landmarks. The release says Russell’s knowledge of contemporary art and architecture will further enrich the work Center for Architecture Sarasota has done to create a deeper understanding of modern architecture and the place of good design in the contemporary built environment.

“Sarasota’s architectural legacy has been championed by SAF and CFAS separately, achieving incredible interest and success," says CFAS Board Chair Ryan Perrone in the statement. "Together, Architecture Sarasota, under the leadership of Anne-Marie, will exponentially magnify our impact to our community.”