Competition to reimagine I.M. Pei's historic Sarasota dorm complex selects Sweet Sparkman design

A winner has been announced in the competition to design an upgrade to I.M. Pei’s early-60s cluster of dormitory buildings at the New College of Florida’s Sarasota campus.

Jointly with the college, Architecture Sarasota has selected a proposal from Sweet Sparkman Architecture & Interiors that will deliver a new athletics complex and enhance circulation on that area of campus while preserving the existing Palm Court structures as reimagined student housing.

The design produced by the 19-year-old local firm was chosen over two others from Brooks+Scarpa and STUDIOS Architecture after the three-firm shortlist was announced in early September. An in-person presentation from the three finalists helped judges to vet their proposals. Each finalist received a $10,000 honorarium for their efforts.

“New College appreciates the incredible efforts of all three finalists, the interest shown by the many firms that submitted initial responses to the request for qualifications, and the hundreds of members of our college community and local community that took time to give feedback in person and online,” President Richard Corcoran said at the announcement.

“Architecture Sarasota is grateful to all three finalists for their creativity and remarkable dedication in developing bold solutions for adapting and repurposing the Pei Dormitories," Architecture Sarasota President Morris “Marty” Hylton III added. “We would especially like to congratulate Sweet Sparkman Architecture & Interiors whose design concept proposes transforming and activating the Palm Court as a dynamic and versatile public space for both the New College campus and the larger Sarasota community. The Reimagining Pei competition demonstrated the power of design thinking in transforming places and inspiring people.”

The winning design, as with the two others, responded to the addition of a new athletics program with a new campus plan that includes a small baseball stadium, softball field, tennis, pickleball, and beach volleyball courts, a gym, swimming pool, field house, restaurant, soccer fields, and multipurpose venue.

A new latticed sunscreen covering will be produced over the housing compound, creating a courtyard space that is activated by students and public events. Programmatic elements inserted into the rooflines of the structures include e-sports and office spaces. Other elements include new vehicular gateways, a parking lot, an elevated biking route, and pedestrian paths emanating from the perimeter of the site. 

No project costs or construction timelines were made available at press time.