Architecture
Jacksonville Symphony Celebrates 75 Years
A Symphony Season Like Never Before! By Tori Fusinaz, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer for the Jacksonville Symphony In the heart of Jacksonville, where the St. Johns River weaves its timeless melody through the cityscape, something extraordinary is about to unfold. The Jacksonville Symphony is primed for its 75th anniversary season with a new logo that reflects our city’s bridges and rivers, and a lineup that promises to dazzle and delight every music lover under the Florida sun. Picture this: a city buzzing with anticipation,...
read moreThe Ritz at 25
Celebrating Our Past, Present, and Future By Mitch Hemann, Archivist at the Ritz Theatre and Museum On the northwest corner of Davis and State Streets in Jacksonville’s historic LaVilla neighborhood, there stands a marquee. A bright red sign that has become an icon in the community. It has stood there in various states of repair for nearly a century, towering above the box office of the Ritz Theatre like a beacon. A reminder of a vibrant community that once was and the promise of a bright future that lies ahead. Long ago, it was a movie...
read moreMellen C. Greeley
THE DEAN OF FLORIDA ARCHITECTS By Wayne W. Wood Mellen Greeley walked with a cane, but his stride was brisk. He had a full head of snow-white hair, and, despite the warmth of the afternoon, he was wearing a tie. He had just set a bowl of dogfood in the grass twenty feet away, so he and I would be able to watch as the racoons emerged from the marsh grass. First one, then two, now four or five, enjoying their daily handout. Greeley joined me on the bench in his yard, overlooking the Arlington River. He was the last of the great architects who...
read moreA Riverfront for All (Part 2)
By Laura Riggs It’s been demonstrated in many other markets that well-designed, maintained, and programmed public spaces strengthen the real estate market while positively impacting the local economy. Understanding that any plans must also take into account various past visioning exercises, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund convened a diverse coalition of business leaders, change makers, planners, and visionaries in 2021 to steward plans for a riverfront that best serves the needs and wants of the community. The duPont Fund partnered with DVDL, an...
read moreThe Essential Role of Parks to Jacksonville’s Well-being
Parks are more than just green spaces in a city—they are crucial components of a healthy, vibrant community. For the Blue Zones Project Jacksonville, parks play a central role in promoting well-being and longevity. Ninety percent of Americans spend most of their lives within a 20-mile radius of their home, this is known as the Life Radius model. When parks exist within that radius, communities can have access to more spaces to make healthy choices easier. Parks are integral to this mission of longevity. Promoting Physical Activity One of the...
read moreJust Face It
Bu Chris Flagg It was the early days of the pandemic, back in 2020, when professionals the world over were confronted with the stark reality of working from home for the foreseeable future. In my home office, away from the defined parameters of a regulated schedule, my workdays had become long and borderless. The soft edges between day and night contrasted with my sharp, relentless focus on a computer screen from early morning well into the evening. Fielding a carousel of virtual conference calls to stay in touch with my team began to wear on...
read moreWhat’s one big thing you suggest Jacksonville do to activate the riverfront(or create more value for the riverfront)?
The above question was posed to top architects of the AIA Jacksonville Chapter. Hear what they have to say.
read moreA River Runs Through It(Part 1)
For anyone traveling over the bridges of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, it can sometimes feel like we are separate from the river that weaves its way through the city. A 2021 Public Space survey found that only 19 percent of Jaxsons go to the riverfront often to enjoy greenspace and the outdoors. Limited areas for residents to access the riverfront or interact with nature have restricted opportunities for the city to have the bustling waterfront vibe that so many other metro areas offer. Since 2014, Jacksonville has enjoyed some of the...
read moreRoy A. Benjamin Master of Style
By Wayne W. Wood Although he only had a seventh-grade education, and although over a third of his buildings were built outside of Jacksonville, Roy A. Benjamin was one of this city’s most admired and versatile architects in the first half of the twentieth century. Despite his lack of formal academic training, he mastered more styles of architecture than any of his contemporaries. Perhaps his most astonishing achievement was that he designed over 200 movie theaters, a number surpassed by only a handful of other American architects. Benjamin’s...
read moreLandscaping the Intangible
Walter HoodAmerican Designer/Professor/Artist How to begin describing Walter Hood, the creative director and founder of Hood Design Studio? His work, accolades, and influence are extensive, and a single article cannot hope to encapsulate it all. So, rather than peppering you, the reader, with nonstop paragraphs, this piece is built upon the language Hood so often uses. This is an invitation to sink into a favorite chair and have a conversation with an icon from the affinitive spheres of art, landscape, and urbanism. HYBRIDITY How...
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