Milam Residence

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Milam Residence
FL Ponte Vedra Beach Arthur Milam House02.jpg
Milam Residence
Alternative namesThe House of Seven Levels
General information
TypeSingle family home
Architectural styleLate-modernism and Cubist
Address1033 Ponte Vedra Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, US
Coordinates30°10′26″N 81°21′34″W / 30.17389°N 81.35944°W / 30.17389; -81.35944Coordinates: 30°10′26″N 81°21′34″W / 30.17389°N 81.35944°W / 30.17389; -81.35944
Completed1961
ClientArthur W. Milam
OwnerJonathan and Sheila Lee Davies
Technical details
MaterialConcrete
Floor area6,858 feet (2,090 m)
Grounds2 acres (0.81 ha)
Design and construction
ArchitectPaul Rudolph
Awards and prizesArchitectural Record's House of the Year in 1963
Other information
Parking3-car garage
DesignatedJune 7, 2016
Reference no.#16000323
References
[1][2][3]

Milam Residence is a house in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, United States. It was designed by architect Paul Rudolph, who was a founder of the Sarasota School of Architecture. The late modernist home has a geometrical facade with large glass openings. The building was completed in 1961 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

History[]

The building was completed in 1961 and named after Arthur W. Milam, the philanthropist who commissioned the project.[3] It is an oceanfront property with an unusual facade featuring large open squares and rectangles which face the ocean. The openings in the facade are covered with glass to allow wide open views of the ocean. The building was designed in the style of the Sarasota School of Architecture by one of its main founders, architect Paul Rudolph.[3] The 6,858-square-foot (637.1 m2) home is on two acres (0.81 ha), 60 feet (18 m) feet above the Atlantic Ocean and has four bedrooms and two bathrooms.[4] The home won the Architectural Record's House of the Year in 1963.[3]

The original architect returned to design other outbuildings when Milam was married in 1969: the additions included a small guest house, a three-car garage and a swimming pool.[4]

Paul Rudolph designed 60 homes in Florida, and the Milam Residence was the last one. The home appears on the cover of his 2002 book, Paul Rudolph: The Florida Houses.[2]

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.[5]

Jonathan and Sheila Lee Davies purchased the building for $3.45 million in 2020, approximately $1 million under the asking price.[6] Sheila Lee Davies is an Atlanta-based architect who decided to take on the task of repairing the building and site. She recognized the importance of the Rudolph-designed home and purchased it knowing that the repairs were estimated to be $1.3 million.[2]

Design[]

The ocean-facing facade of squares and rectangles

Rudolph designed the home with an orthogonal facade; the geometric shapes are a striking and unusual visual element.[7] The building has been referred to as an example of late modernism and Cubist architecture.[6] The squares and rectangles are not only a striking visual element, they also serve a purpose by providing shade to the interior rooms. The large overhang and side extension of the facade elements provide shade for the building interior.[7] Additionally the large openings have floor to ceiling glass which deflect sun and wind.[3] The Milam residence was the first residential property designed by Rudolph which included air conditioning. The air conditioning allowed Rudolph to design the home without worrying about the Florida weather.[8] On the ocean side of the building, the windows and doors do not open.[2]

The Sarasota School of Architecture was known for designing buildings with straight lines, and seamless transitions between indoor-outdoor spaces. The architects of that school attempted to make use of natural elements like wind and outdoor light.[9] In keeping with the Sarasota School of Architecture ideology, Rudolph attempted to blur the lines between inside and outside.[10] One example of this method: he designed the home with terrazzo floors matching the color of the nearby sand.[2]

Another way that the architect followed the Sarasota School is to use windows to create a strong link between the interior and exterior. Floor-to-ceiling windows were used to further blur the lines between indoor and outdoor.[11] The interior has rooms which are elongated and parallel to the ocean with large windows.[7] The home has been referred to as "The House of Seven Levels". The interior features built-in storage and level changes.[2] There are functional interior floor-level changes: for example, a sunken living room. There are also level changes in ceiling height; a lowered ceiling in some areas and raised in others.[7]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Bubil, Harold (29 August 2018). "No. 90: Milam House, 1961, Ponte Vedra Beach". Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Lange, Alexandra (29 March 2021). "How to Save (and Live in) a Masterpiece of Modern Design". Town and Country Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Own a piece of architectural history: The $4.5 million Milam house just went on the market in Ponte Vedra Beach". Jacksonville Magazine. 4 June 2019. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b D'Angelo, Madeline (24 July 2017). "Signature Paul Rudolph House Hits the Market for $4.4 Million in Florida". Architect Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Milam, Arthur house". National Register of Historic Places. United States Department of the Interior National Park Service. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b Montes, Geoffrey (4 June 2019). "Iconic Paul Rudolph House Hits the Market for $4.4 Million". Galerie Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d Fracalossi, Igor (2 November 2010). "AD Classics: Milam Residence / Paul Rudolph". Arch Daily. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Paul Rudolph – A Life of Art & Architecture". Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation. Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  9. ^ Hendrickson, V.L. (2 December 2021). "The Zigzag House, an Example of the Sarasota School of Architecture, Lists for $3 Million". Mansion Global. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  10. ^ Hofer, Lauren (1 January 2020). "Organic And Modern: The Sarasota School Of Architecture". Atomic Ranch. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Byerly Home Buildings: Sarasota History". Sarasota History Alive. 2022. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.

Further reading[]

  • Pearson, Clifford A. "Paul Rudolph, Milam House." Architectural Record, May 1963.
  • "Four Current Projects by Paul Rudolph." Architectural Record 129 (March 1961): 140.
  • Howey, John (1997). The Sarasota School of Architecture, 1941–1966. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-58156-1.
  • King, Joseph (2006). Paul Rudolph: The Florida Houses. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton Architectural Press. ISBN 978-1-56898-551-0.

External links[]

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