T H E
H O M E
O F
T H E
Y E A R
ULTRAHOME CASEY KEY
THE COLORFUL HISTORY
THE NETZEL TEAM PREMIER SOTHEBY’S INT’L REALTY
BUILT BY THE MASTERS
THIS MODEL IS FASHION
GUY PETERSON ROBERT COUTURIER MICHAEL WALKER Vol. 1, No. 1
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WELCOME TO
814 N. Casey Key Road Osprey, FL Voted
“Home of the Year”
Presented by Thomas Netzel & Sandy Gillette of The Netzel Team Premier Sotheby’s International Realty
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ULTRA PREMIUM LIVING
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THE HOME
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GUY PETERSON 4
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THIS MODEL IS FASHION
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ROBERT COUTURIER
THE COLORFUL HISTORY OF CASEY KEY
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MICHAEL WALKER
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THE NETZEL TEAM
Wilhelmina de Haas - Designer & Editor, Photographers - Matthew Holler & Everett Denison, Roxanne Gould - Model
THE HOME Throughout his illustrious career, gold medal winner from the American Institute of Architects, Guy Peterson, believes in essentialism - a concept that demands design by analysis and reduction, rather than stylistic imitation and embellishment. Peterson, in collaboration with international architect and designer Robert Couturier, general contractor, Michael K. Walker & Associates and the current owners, spared no efforts in design, resourcing of materials or monetary expenditures in creating this magnificent Gulf-to-Bay contemporary masterpiece that’s won multiple design awards. Located on the coveted north end of the barrier island of Casey Key, this 3-level residence stands as a beacon of achievement in architectural design, yet inside, it lives with comfort, spaciousness and minimalistic style. Throughout the home, the shell concrete floors and mahogany surfaces bring elements of the outdoors in, creating an environment that is enriching and peaceful. And the abundance of hurricane strength windows and sliding doors, that stretch nearly everywhere from floor to ceiling and from wall to wall, bring in views of the ocean and saltwater pool in the front and Sarasota Bay and the old-growth gnarled Live Oak trees in the back. This 1.2 acre home, which boasts 4 en-suite bedrooms, 2 half baths, a spacious office, elevator, 4-car garage, a dozen outdoor terraces and sun decks, reflection pools, a dock with lift and an ultra-premium kitchen with opaque glass surfaces, offers a rare ownership opportunity.
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It’s always an honor to work with Guy on any of his projects (of which we have collaborated on many) and an exceptional honor to work with Robert Couturier and his staff who are involved with projects worldwide. Both firms worked seamlessly to blend the overall structural and interior architecture together with each having a great respect for one another’s work and design intent. It was truly a pleasure to be a part of this special team. — Michael Walker, Master Builder
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Unobstructed views of the Gulf of Mexico from the front of the home. 9
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The open floor plan includes the dining room, kitchen, and family room which are located on the second floor. The glass panel divider, called SmartGlass, divides the dining area from the grand staircase. When activated, the panel switches from clear to opaque. All interior walls are Level 5 drywall — the highest quality and most superior finish available. 11
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Floors throughout the entire home are hand-poured terrazzo shell concrete. The ultra sleek, ultra modern kitchen has cabinetry made by BLUM with 3/4� glass top counters and a white solid glass backsplash. The undermount stainless steel 2-section sink is by HOUZER. The appliances include a Miele double wall oven with convection, a full panel overlay Gaggenau - RB491700/43 refrigerator/freezer, a Wolf 5-burner propane gas cooktop, 2 Subzero refrigeration drawers, a full panel overlay Miele stainless steel dishwasher - Futura Dimension, full panel overlay Miele warming drawer and an Insinkerator garbage disposal.
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The open family/living space has floor to ceiling sliding glass doors which lead to the terrace. It has access to the grand staircase, the dining room as well as the kitchen pass through. The glass doors have custom floor to ceiling linen drapery. The 6’6� wide fireplace is gas. Above it hangs a 70� Samsung television. LED recessed fixtures provides ample lighting for the entire area.
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The custom front entry door is made of African Mahogany. Upon entering the foyer, there’s access to the elevator, garage and ground level terrace as well as the interior reflection pool. The grand staircase provides passage to all three levels. Combining steel, glass and African Mahogany treads – the staircase has an open, airy feel with glass-walled views to the outside.
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The office features custom African Mahogany wood paneled walls and custom built-in file drawers. The room has entry to two terraces.
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The expansive open air terrace on the third level with glass skylights illuminate and bring natural light to the terrace below.
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The 35’x23’ master bedroom features an African Mahogany entry door (concealed) that is 49” wide by 95” tall. Other features include custom cabinetry storage with soft touch openings, access to the security keypad, outlets in the baseboard, ivory leather headboards, an art niche with stone surface and LED lights. There are floor to ceiling glass windows and sliding doors, all with linen drapery. The master closet is entirely made of African Mahogany, and has custom drawers and built-in shelves.
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A large 18’x15’; the master bathroom has an African Mahogany clad hallway with full length mirror, dual custom sinks by Wet Style, quartz countertops and backsplash, imported sconces and pullout vanity drawers. The oval tub is by Wet Style and above it, the wall has a glass transom. All faucets are made by DORN BRACHT. The shower has a steam control with tilting steam glass transom with rain head shower and 2 additional overhead shower heads, plus a spray wand, 3 body sprays and temperature controls. Other features include quartz walls, glass shelves, access to a bayside terrace and floor to ceiling glass.
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Reflection pools and stepping stones in the front entranceway.
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A staircase that connects all the terrace levels. Skylights on the third level provide light to the terrace below.
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The Guest Suite I features a solid African Mahogany entry door, a custom wall-to-wall designer fabric headboard, built-in storage nightstands, and access to a walk-in closet with mahogany ceiling. A pocket door adds privacy from the en-suite bathroom. There’s a walk-in wardrobe closet and a wall-mounted television. The floor to ceiling sliding glass door leads to a terrace with views of the Gulf of Mexico and is enhanced by custom sheer drapery. 30
The Guest Bathroom I features LED recessed lighting and imported Italian vanity lights. White glass tile walls enhance the African Mahogany vanity with Wet Style vanity bowl and DORN BRACHT faucet. There’s a Duravit commode, and ZUMA collection deep soaking tub with frameless glass enclosure. The tub/shower combination has a DORN BRACHT shower head and spray wand. 31
The Guest Suite II features a solid African Mahogany entry door and a custom wall-to-wall designer fabric headboard with built-in storage nightstands. In addition there’s access to the walk-in closet with mahogany ceiling. The sliding glass door leads to a terrace that offers views of the Gulf of Mexico. The Guest Bathroom II has green glass tile walls and an African Mahogany vanity cabinet with drawers. The green glass shower stall has a shell concrete floor and green glass tiled walls, which features a DORN BRACHT shower head and valve. The green glass enclosed water closet has a Duravit commode.
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With views of gnarled Live Oaks, the Guest Suite III has a solid African Mahogany entry door and custom wall-to-wall designer fabric headboard. Other features include an attached floating wall dresser a wall-mounted television and room darkening drapery. Large green glass tile walls enhance the Guest Bathroom III. There is an African Mahogany vanity cabinet with Wet Style vanity bowl, DORN BRACHT faucet, and custom African Mahogany vanity mirror with shelves. Other features include a Wet Style oval deep soaking tub with DORN BRACT faucet, a glass walled water closet with Duravit commode and a solid glass sliding door and windows overlooking the botanical back yard.
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Private pier with Trex Composite Deck.
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Views of Sarasota Bay and gnarled Live Oaks from the terraces at the rear of the home.
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CONSTRUCTION PLANS BY
Robert Couturier Original 2009-2011 interior design and landscaping plans for 814 N Casey Key Road by Robert Couturier from him and his firm in New York City.
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2nd Floor Construction Plan Description
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3rd Floor Construction Plan Description
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THIS MODEL IS
FASHION International fashion model, Roxanne Gould, stopped by 814 N. Casey Key Road recently to shoot both fashion photography and a cinematic film. Here she showcases a sophisticated collection of designer clothing and accessories all available at The Met – a luxury independent fashion house, day spa and salon located at 35 South Blvd. of the Presidents, in St. Armands Circle, Sarasota. The Met is devoted to innovative, fashion-forward yet wearable men’s and women’s clothing, distinctive accessories, footwear, and an in-house fine jewelry couturier.
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Saloni Paisley Dress, $725.
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Emporio Armani Executive Dress, $1025 Emporio Armani Coated Tech Leather Leggings, $275
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Marc Cain Silk Jersey Dress, $395 45
L’Agence Kenzie Blazer, $675 L’Agence Flare Trouser, $345
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Saloni Lea Dress, $795
Saloni Paisley Dress, $725
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Etro Silk Lounge Trouser, $1,015
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Peter Cohen Silk Sway Top, $775 Peter Cohen Silk Narrow Pant, $750 Marc Cain Leather Aristo Girl Coat, $880
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THE COLORFUL HISTORY OF
CASEY KEY
Casey Key today is a blend of past and present. Yes, modern mansions have sprung up along its shores. But those luxury residences are still accessed by a single, winding, narrow road, where cars often brush up against sea grapes and bougainvilleas, and sometimes one driver has to stop to let another pass. There are no high-rise condominiums, grocery stores, fast-food joints, or traffic lights. In fact, commercial development is limited to a cluster of Old Florida motels plus an historic fish camp and new concessionaire at the barrier island’s southern end. So while some things on this seven-mile stretch of land have changed, much remains the same from the days when Casey Key was a largely uninhabited piece of paradise. There’s still a lushness to the landscape and a slower pace of life. And the waterfront views, as they always have, continue to take your breath away. Prehistoric tribes lived in Sarasota County as far back as 5,000 years ago, taking advantage of the area’s prolific Gulf, marsh, woodland, and bay ecosystems. Well before Florida became part of the United States in 1845, Spanish-speaking fishermen from Cuba set up fish camps along Sarasota Bay, stopping to cast their lines and see what they could catch. Herbert Blackburn, an area fishing guide landing another “Silver King”.
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What’s now known as Casey Key was listed on early maps of Florida as both Clam Island and Chaise’s Key at various points in time. It got its current name in the mid-1800s, courtesy of Captain John C. Casey. This 1829 graduate of West Point (and classmate of Robert E. Lee) served as the acting agent for transferring the state’s Seminole people to the new Indian Territory in Oklahoma. In 1849, a meeting was held between Casey and the Seminoles at what was referred to as Casey’s Pass (now the Venice Inlet). He had a good relationship with the Seminoles and their chief, Billy Bowlegs, but only convinced some tribe members to accept the government’s relocation offer.
The Albee and Blackburn families at a “get together” in the 1920’s.
Casey also assisted the U.S. government in mapping Florida’s Gulf Coast. An 1856 map based on his sketches and information shows Casey Key and Casey’s Pass, perhaps in acknowledgment of his work in the area.
Around the same time, the Florida Armed Occupation Act of 1842 was bringing new settlers to our local shores. As an incentive to populate Florida, it gave 160 acres of land to any head of a family, as long as he or his heirs lived there for five consecutive years, enclosed and cultivated five acres, built a house during the first year and bore their own arms for protection. Born in Savannah, Georgia, William Whitaker was the first documented pioneer of European decent to take advantage of the act and settle permanently in Sarasota in the 1840s. He later helped welcome the Webb family, who arrived from New York in 1867. Their doctor had advised the move, believing that Florida’s climate would be beneficial for Mrs. Webb’s asthma. When the Webbs first arrived in Key West, a Spanish trader told them about a bluff of high land on Sarasota Bay well suited for a good homestead. Whitaker helped them find it based on the description, and the Webbs named their Osprey homestead Spanish Point in honor of the trader. They grew sugar cane, built a sugar mill, and operated a winter resort for tourists at their site on the mainland across from Casey Key. John Slemans Blackburn, a farmer and cattle broker from Iowa, settled nearby in 1881 with his family. The Webbs’ youngest son, Jack, helped them build their home, which was thatched with palmetto leaves. Blackburn grew potatoes, sugar cane, and bananas and built his own sloop, Sea Turtle, to bring his crops to market.
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The Chadwick Fish House, operated by Willard Taylor, located at the foot of the old Albee Road wooden swing bridge. 1930’s - 1950’s.
Blackburn’s son, Benjamin Franklin Blackburn, moved to the area himself in 1884, and the whole family had a fish camp near the site of the present-day Casey Key Fish House restaurant. Today the northern access point to Casey Key, Blackburn Point Road, bears the family’s name, as does a park that offers access to the Intracoastal Waterway. Farther south, what’s now known as Venice was first settled in the 1870s by Robert Rickford Roberts, who established a 121-acre homestead on the south end of what’s now Roberts Bay. In 1882 he sold some of his property to Frank Higel, who set up a citrus operation. Venice was originally called Horse and Chaise, inspired by a carriage-like tree formation marking a fishing spot. The city adopted the name Venice in 1888 per Higel’s suggestion. After seeing a newspaper ad, Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer came to the area in 1910, purchasing the former Webb homestead and some 140,000 additional acres in the area on which she farmed and raised livestock. Dr. Fred Albee came to Venice in 1916 and set about building a model city, commissioning John Nolen to plan it. While all of this activity was happening on the mainland, Casey Key remained largely undiscovered. The land lush with buttonwoods, mangroves, cedar trees, and other vegetation was home to wildlife like bobcats, panthers, raccoons, and turtles — and not much else. But settlers across the bay were soon drawn to this uninhabited isle and the fine fishing and hunting opportunities it presented. Just after the turn of the 20th century, Isaac Shumard and his family arrived on Casey Key. They had traded their Missouri farm for a Lakeland-area orange grove but proved unsuccessful at that venture. When they applied for a homestead grant, the only land in the area available at that time was on Casey Key. They built a house from logs cut off-island, with a roof constructed of palm fronds until shingles could be made from cedar trees. Since there were no window screens, mosquitoes were repelled by smoke from burning cedar boughs. But there was ample food (fish, clams, oysters, turtles), and the Shumards also raised bees on their land.
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In the early 1910s, Shumard sold much of his 62 acres on Casey Key to the Sarasota-Venice Company but kept 10 acres for his family’s home. Zachariah M. Dryman followed Shumard’s lead, homesteading more than 100 acres on Casey Key in 1909. The bay along this area was later called Dryman Bay. If Florida was still considered a remote outpost at this point in U.S. history, then Casey Key was even further removed from civilization. There were no bridges connecting the island to the mainland at this time, so sailboats were the primary method of transportation. The key’s growth was gradual, with friends of friends arriving to share in the tropical foliage and pristine white-sand beaches. The island’s homes were approached by boat from Blackburn Bay, with their entrances facing the bay and backyards leading to the Gulf of Mexico. But some wanted development to move at a faster pace. A $1.3-million Treasure Island Hotel was proposed for the southern end of Casey Key by the Sarasota-Venice Company and attempts were made to change the island’s name to Treasure Island to attract visitors. Neither effort really took off. Yet it did get easier to access Casey Key after the construction of a toll bridge at the southern end of the island in 1923 by E.C. Warren and of the Blackburn Point Road swing bridge at the northern end in 1925-26. And sites like the Treasure Island Beach Club and Bath House Restaurant provided spots for socializing. Though the stock market crash of 1929 slowed development some, Casey Key got full telephone service in 1937. The homes built here tended to be small cottages, not the large waterfront estates of today. Children who grew up on the island remember days spent at the beach or boating, exploring the key’s many natural assets. “It was like living on a deserted island in the Caribbean,” said Paul Thayer, who grew up on the Key. The historic North Jetty Fish Camp remains a fixture on the island. The former trolley car was placed on countyowned property at the southern tip of Casey Key around 1946. Locals and visitors love stopping by the rustic, old-timey spot overlooking the Venice Inlet for everything from a cold beer to fishing bait.
The Oaks. Winter home of Chicago socialite, Bertha Honore Palmer. Standing on the right of the Osprey, Florida home is Claude Higel.
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Postcard. Sarasota County’s first beach pavilion at Nokomis Beach opened in 1954 and was designed by Jack West in the style of The Sarasota School of Architecture.
In 1949, Pat and Marty Mason built the Admiral Benbow Club and further helped spur interest in Casey Key. The cement-block, beachfront duplexes were rented out each winter to friends from around the United States and to readers of the Junior League Members’ Mart (“a very swish place to advertise,” according to Mrs. Mason). Many visitors ended up succumbing to Casey Key’s beckoning call and secured their own property on the island, despite the fact that the club was more basic than deluxe. “There wasn’t enough electricity on the island to run a terrazzo machine, so the floors were cement,” said Mrs. Mason. A brochure put together by the Casey Key Motel Association extolled the island for its “beautiful white sand beaches abundant with palms and tropical growth.” It praised the fact that the key was one of the few undeveloped places on the Florida coast with “no stores, come-ons, or gimmicks to interfere with pure pleasure and enjoyment.” Motels bore enticing names like Gulf Surf, Sandpiper, Island House, and Suntan Terrace, many of which can still be found today. Much of what that brochure promises — like the island’s get-away-from-it-all vibe, lack of commercialization, and natural beauty — still exists, thanks to the efforts of Casey Key residents. The Casey Key Protective Association and its predecessors helped ensure that much of the island was zoned for residential use only, prohibiting commercial development. When the key’s old shell road needed to be paved, property owners contributed 20 cents per foot with the stipulation that the throughway would retain a “country road” look. In the early 1970s, the association succeeded in having the Florida State Legislature enact the Casey Key Conservation District Act. That designates much of Casey Key as a wildlife and marine sanctuary, restricts the use of the land to single-family residences and prohibits unreasonable destruction of natural vegetation or disturbance of submerged breeding areas. It also worked to get the key zoned so that no additional motels could be built; if an 58
existing one is destroyed for any reason, it can only be rebuilt on the same square footage as the original structure. The residents’ efforts to keep Casey Key’s special appeal intact have paid off. Film director Victor Nunez chose Casey Key as the setting for his 1984 movie version of John D. MacDonald’s “A Flash of Green” because it resembled a 1950s-era coastal Florida community. Island inhabitants can still take in some of the same stunning Gulf to Bay views early settlers might have gazed upon. They enjoy private beach access (two public beaches are located at the southern end of the key) and often prefer their connections to simpler times over modern conveniences. Take the Blackburn Point Road swing bridge, for example. When the Florida Department of Transportation announced in 1989 that it would be replacing the old span with an ultra-modern, $6.5-million bridge, residents protested fiercely. They overwhelmingly favored the refurbishment of their beloved, one-lane structure, the last swing-span bridge left in Sarasota County, even if it meant that all traffic on and off the island was restricted to the Albee Road bridge for several months. The swing bridge is now on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as daily reminder of why Casey Key is such a special and desirable place to live. And the days of island residents are filled with moments that demonstrate the uniqueness of the place they’ve chosen to call home. Whether they’re walking, riding their bikes, or driving along Casey Key Road, they can’t help but slow down and wave to each other as they pass. These kindred spirits have put down roots here, just like the towering palm trees, verdant sea grapes, and flowering foliage growing outside their front doors.
Cutlass Bayou just south of Blackburn Road.
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Master Architect
Guy Peterson As President and Principal Architect of Guy Peterson | Office for Architecture, Inc., Guy Peterson directs a wide range of activities for the firm including overall responsibility for project design. A modernist in his approach, the language of his architecture is honesty and simplicity. His work is poetic, human, evokes emotion, and comes from the heart. Through his use of form, structure, indigenous materials, light and shadow, he has derived an aesthetic that results in a clean, sustainable and delightful architecture. To date, Mr. Peterson has received over 90 design awards and special recognitions for his work since the inception of his practice in 1980. Most recently in 2016 Mr. Peterson was awarded the AIA Florida Gold Medal. This award recognizes an individual architect in Florida who has distinguished himself or herself in a manner resulting in a profound impact on the profession over an extended period of time. This is the highest award that AIA Florida can bestow on one of its members and only one may be given in a year. In 2013, Guy Peterson | OFA was awarded the AIA Florida Firm of the Year Award. This award is in recognition of their contribution to the architectural profession in design, education, community service and their support of the AIA. Mr. Peterson became the only architect from Florida to be elected into the prestigious College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2003. He was elevated to fellowship because of his notable contributions to the advancement of the profession of architecture in design. He became one of the youngest architects in Florida in 1998 to win the Medal of Honor for Design from the Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects. This award is given in recognition for the high quality and originality of his work over an extended period of time, for advancing the cause and public value of architecture in the State of Florida and for the leadership and inspiration he provides to his colleagues. In 2000, he received the Distinguished Architecture Alumnus Award from the University of Florida School of Architecture. In 2006, the American Jewish Committee honored Mr. Peterson with their prestigious Civic Achievement Award and in 2007 he received 60
the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sarasota Architectural Foundation. In the fall of 2008, Mr. Peterson became the Ivan H. Smith Eminent visiting professor at the School of Architecture at the University of Florida and in 2009 he joined the faculty full time as an Adjunct Associate Professor. In recognition of outstanding service to the college, university and the community, Mr. Peterson received the Dean’s 2014 Faculty Service Award from the University of Florida, College of Design, Construction and Planning. In addition to his ongoing practice, Mr. Peterson currently serves as Adjunct Associate Professor for the new University of Florida Citylab Sarasota. This is a satellite graduate program for the University of Florida Graduate School of Architecture. In April of 2017, Mr. Peterson was inducted into the Sarasota Community Video Archives Hall of Fame. This is considered one of the most prestigious community awards given in Sarasota. In 2018, he was selected by Florida Trend magazine as one of its FLORIDA 500, the 500 most influential business leaders in Florida. In January of 2019 Mr. Peterson was inducted into the Riverview High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in Sarasota, Florida. The Durbin House1 Sited on a barrier island off the West Coast of Florida, this house responds to the site context and extreme climatic events with a modernist design vocabulary and the use of materials that can withstand the stresses of the beach environment. The site spans from Gulf to Bay and has unique environmental considerations such as a protected sea turtle habitat on the Gulf side and manatee habitat on the bay side. The house is located seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line. The structure consists of a concrete pile supported foundation with the first living level elevated to 19.4’ above sea level. This constraint of the project
Source (verbatim) including interior pictures1 http://www.guypeterson.com/durbin-house/ http://www.guypeterson.com/awards/
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allows the principal functions of the house defined within the two living levels to enjoy views of the beach front all while freeing up shaded outdoor space for entertaining beneath the belly of the house. Terraces along the Gulf side of the house allow for an expanded outdoor living space, the largest of which is located on the third level with extended views of the coastline. The house is defined by a series of volumetric elements that are carefully assembled to allow light to define space. The voids in the mass become vessels of light. The underlying simplicity in the composition of elements creates a language that is both clear and has order. The large “portal” on the West side serves as a frame for Gulf views and a shading device for roof terrace activities. The first living level consists of the family/living room, dining, kitchen and guest bedrooms, while the upper level contains the master suite, study and large outdoor living space. Passive design features such as orientation, day-lighting, shade, cross ventilation and rain water harvesting all contribute to the architectural language. Our Q&A With Guy Peterson Q: Regarding architectural design, it’s been said that you believe in essentialism – a concept that demands design by analytics and reduction, rather than stylistic imitation and embellishment. Can you expand on this? A: Essentialism is my interpretation of a strategy of minimalist architecture. It is the process of design that I create space and as it develops my design strategy is not what do I need to add, but rather, what can I take away to make the design more honest. As Antoine de Saint-Exupery said: “A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add but when there is nothing left to take away”. Q: What was your inspiration in designing the Durbin House on the north end of Casey Key? A: The site. Working with the client’s program and taking advantage of the opportunities the site had to offer. We had two distinct conditions, the Gulf side wide open with views to the Gulf and the Bay side with more selective views through salt sculpted oak trees to the Bay. The Gulf side employs what I call “architectural frames” that are used as shading devices and for focusing one’s views to the Gulf. On the Bay side we used smaller more directed view devices through the trees to the Bay. The exterior elevated terraces were designed to be occupied and take advantage of these site opportunities. This was an interesting opportunity and both edges of the house take advantage of this. Q: I understand you collaborated with architect and designer Robert Couturier from NYC on the home. What was that experience like? A: I enjoyed working with Robert Couturier and he was a wonderful collaborator. Our scopes of work were clearly defined and I feel we both listened to each other and most importantly to our client. Q: You’ve worked with master builder, Michael K. Walker and Associates on a variety of projects over the years. How was the experience on this project? A: Michael Walker and I go back to growing up in Sarasota. I have had the privilege to work with many outstanding builders on our homes during my career and I put Michael up among the very best. I always know my clients will be well served and will be delivered an outstanding product. Q: I’ve read that while attending Sarasota High School, you became interested in a design movement of the 1940’s to the 1960’s called the Sarasota School of Architecture, which was founded by Ralph Twitchell and later progressed with the participation of design pioneers Paul Rudolph, Gene Leedy, Tim Seibert, Jack West, Victor 62
Lundy and others. How did these architects inspire you? A: I attended Riverview High School designed by Sarasota School of Architecture architect Paul Rudolph. I also went to Alta Vista Elementary School designed by Victor Lundy and Brookside Jr. High School by the Zimmerman Brothers...all Sarasota School Architects. These experiences influenced my direction and philosophy in architecture. I have tried in my career to advance the principles and tenants they based their work on to my work and to my point in time and expand on those theories. Q: I understand you closed your office of architecture in downtown Sarasota and are pursuing other life interests as well as semi-retirement. Are you still designing homes if clients would like to hire you? A: In 2017 we sold our downtown office and contrary to any rumors, I am still working and feel my best work is ahead of me. I work out of my home studio as a design architect providing the same level of design services as I have throughout my career. After the design is established, my clients work with an architect of record to develop and see the project through completion. I remain involved through the course of the project as a design consultant to work with the client and the architect of record to monitor and continue to explore potential design opportunities. In this new role, I find myself as busy as I have ever been and very fulfilled! Durbin House Awards: The American Institute of Architects – Florida Gulf Coast Chapter – Award of Excellence in Architecture 2014 Durbin House – Award of Excellence – Casey Key, Florida SRQ Magazine – Home Of The Year 2015 Best Overall Home / Over $2M Platinum Award – Durbin House
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Master Architect, Décor & Designer
Robert Couturier
Robert Couturier collaborated with Guy Peterson on the architecture, space planning, and interior design for the grand residence at 814 N. Casey Key Road.
Robert made design history in 1987 when the billionaire financier Sir James Goldsmith, who could have engaged any architect and decorator in the known world to do his bidding, followed his legendary instincts and entrusted the 32-year-old Couturier with what would amount to the single greatest private commission of modern times: the re-conception, execution, and continuous embellishment – down to the last gilded detail – of Goldsmith’s 20,000-acre kingdom on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Crowned by a 60,000-square-foot vaulted-and-tile-domed hilltop palace called La Loma, the estate, before the designer was through, would come to include vast satellite villas and assorted guest pavilions. He would later complete the grandiose picture by decorating Goldsmith’s Boeing 757 (”a flying carpet with a motor”), double-width Manhattan townhouse, and historic French château. Two decades later, the New York-based Couturier maintains his place at the top of his profession, continuing to execute grand-scale commissions in the U.S., Europe, South America, and Russia. His name, included in Architectural Digest’s prestigious annual list of the best decorators and architects in the world, has become synonymous with continental and international style. But to the deep understanding of the classical that he acquired at the Ecole Camondo in his native Paris, Couturier adds his own inimitable and witty take on things, and his design heroes remain a jaunty, motley lot (Renzo Mongiardino, Frank Gehry, Charles LeBrun, Serge Roche, Robsjohn Gibbings, Robert Mallet Stevens, Jean Michel Frank…). Décor, Couturier believes above all else, must be appropriate to the architecture, to the clients, and to the setting. The last thing he sees his interiors as are stage sets – rather, they are spaces for living people to move through and function in. And, in fact, they work superbly. Couturier has contributed to major architecture and design books. He lectures widely at galleries and at arts and antique fairs, and participates in charitable and design-industry events. His work has been featured in such publications as Architectural Digest, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Town and Country, the New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, House and Garden, the Robb Report, and Elle décor, and has distinguished the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club Showhouse, Decorator Show House, Hampton Designer Show House, and the French American Designer Show House. All in all, Robert Couturier can be said to lend a sense of connoisseurship, imagination, and even experimentation to the traditional design landscape. As he likes to say himself, recalling the rich interiors in which he spent his childhood and youth, “It is to both grander and greater ends that one invents when one can start with one’s own past.” Source (verbatim): http://www.robertcouturier.com/about-us/
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Q&A With Master Builder
Michael Walker Q: Can you describe the engineering that went into the Durbin House and how it is constructed from the pilings up to the rooftop? A: Engineered to the extremely rigorous Florida Building Code and Department of Environmental Protection coastal building standards, the structure is on a deep, concrete piling foundation consisting of 102 driven piles. All floor and roof structures are reinforced 4000 PSI concrete and all doors and windows are impact resistant and designed to withstand a 130 MPH wind load. Q: What was the process like working with architects Guy Peterson and Robert Couturier on the design and building of the home? A: It is always and honor to work with Guy on any of his projects (of which we have collaborated on many) and an exceptional honor to work with Robert Couturier and his staff who work worldwide. Both firms worked seamlessly to blend the overall structural and interior architecture together with each having a great respect for each other’s work and design intent. It was truly a pleasure to be a part of this special team. Q: There seems to be a shift in architectural style that today buyers, who are building new homes, are trending towards. Can you elaborate on this a little more? A: Currently, we see an interesting blend of both hardline and coastal contemporary as well as British West Indies style with fewer Mediterranean revival style homes which seemed to be the predominant regional architectural style in the 90’s and early 2000’s. Q: From ground-breaking to move-in, approximately how long did it take to construct this house and what challenges arose along the way? A: The project took approximately 24 months comprising of approximately a year in structure work and a year in finishes. The finish flooring throughout is poured in place white Portland concrete topping with embedded washed shell which was installed as each elevated structural concrete floor was placed so the topping could be then be placed, ground smooth and honed before the interior or exterior walls were in place much like placing and finishing terrazzo. This procedure also required that the finish floors be protected continuously as additional structural and interior elements were added to the project. Q: Over the years you’ve built some of the most prestigious homes in the Sarasota region. What are some of your favorite features about this Gulf-to-Bay property, located on the north end of Casey Key? A: Casey Key is truly like the Caribbean in many ways and we have constructed many very special homes on this island. This particular residence affords both Gulf of Mexico and Intracoastal waterway exposure with the 3rd floor west terraces being an exceptional sunset viewing area. 66
Q: Can you explain what your construction firm offers clients and what makes your company different? A: Our firm specializes in early project involvement by way of contributing to the most cost effective structural means and methods as well as specifying materials that are suitable for the extremely harsh coastal building environment. We also have a protocol in place to implement progressive consulting and preliminary budgeting while the project is being developed by the design team to ensure the project stays on time and budget as the drawings are finished and ultimately ready to commence construction. We are forerunners in sustainable building systems such as Geothermal HVAC (Heating/Ventilation and Air Conditioning) and pool /spa heat which will eventually be the norm for these systems in this region as well as Florida. Please visit our website www.michaelkwalker.com for further information about the firm and other published work.
Memberships/Affiliations: National Association of Home Builders National Trust for Historic Preservation Professional Builder Luxury Leaders Professional Member – Southern Building Code Congress International Listed Nationally Among 50 Firms Building Homes in Excess of One Million Dollars (Professional Builder Magazine) Listed Nationally in Top 500 Remodeling Firms (QR Magazine) State-Certified Building Contractor Building Industry Association of Manatee & Sarasota Allied Member – American Institute of Architects Affiliate Member – National Conference of States on Building Codes & Standards Recent Awards (2015 to Present): 2017 Best of HOUZZ – Design Category Center for Architecture Honors Awards McCulloch Pavilion 2016 AIA Florida Gulf Coast Chapter Honor Award Builder of the Year 2016 Chrysalis Award Regional Winner Commercial Remodel 2016 Best of HOUZZ – Design Category 2016 Building Awards – SRQ Magazine Gold in Best Mixed Use Building 2015 Best in American Living Gold Award Green-Built Home Siesta Key Residence, Sarasota, Florida National Association of Home Builders 2015 Finalist Best in Green Awards Siesta Key Residence, Sarasota, Florida National Association of Home Builders
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THE NETZEL TEAM
Why We’re So Different At the core of our team is a graphic design, social media and film production agency. We have the in-house designers and the equipment to create breathtaking content that gets our client’s properties sold. Our work and effort serve as a glowing example of how properties should be marketed and the interesting thing is, our fees are the same as other agents.
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Sharon Meier
Thomas Netzel
Sandy Gillette
THE NETZEL TEAM Premier Sotheby’s International Realty 50 Central Avenue, Suite 110 Sarasota, Florida 34236 c: 941.539.0633 or 941-504-0170
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THE NETZEL TEAM AND OUR AFFILIATION WITH SOTHEBY’S For starters, our BRAND is unlike any other real estate brokerage in the world. We are directly affiliated with Sotheby’s auctions which was founded in the year 1774. It is the oldest company traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
Linked directly with the auction house is Sotheby’s International Realty which has offices all over the world. Here, in Florida, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty (PSIR) is the largest privately owned real estate brokerage with over 40 offices and 1100 agents.
The Netzel Team is one of the top PSIR teams with a proven sales track record.
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