flwrightus2.bmp

 

FLWreturn1.bmp

 

FLWreturn2.bmp

FLWreturn3.bmp

redsquare.jpg

 

*December 2010 photos by Mary McNally & © Mary McNally

S.257 – Esplanades, Florida Southern College, Lakeland, Florida

 

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

 

Photographed in 1995 and February 2010.  As is well known, the college campus is the largest collection of FLW buildings anywhere.  Click here for a page about the general characteristics of the buildings.

 

One and a half miles of covered walkways – called Esplanades – connect the various Wright-designed buildings on campus.  They were built from 1941 to 1958, being extended as additional FLW buildings were added.  One of the state’s non-natural materials – copper – lines the edges of most of the esplanades.  The walkways are supported by columns that replicate the shape of the orange groves that once dotted the campus.  They employ cantilever construction, so the columns are to the side of the structures.

 

Florida weather is not kind to any structures, and the Esplanades were already showing their age in my 1995 photos.  The State of Florida provided a $1.6 million restoration grant, which wrapped up around 2008. 

 

1995 photos

 

257b.JPG

Peeking out from the Polk County Science building - 1995

 

 

257a.JPG  251d.JPG

2 pre-renovation esplanades between the Polk Science building and the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel; note the deterioration near the center of the first photo. 

This esplanade – which had added straight columns to bear the weight – was restored to their original cantilevered configuration.  See photos below

 

February 2010 photos

 

100_0631.JPG  100_0634.JPG

February 2010 photos depicting same area near chapel – with renovated esplanade

 

100_0009.JPG  100_0578.JPG

 

100_0483.JPG

 

100_0490.JPG  100_0630.JPG

 

100_0580.JPG  100_0579.JPG

Construction details – in some locations the green sections are merely painted; in others they are oxidized copper (mainly on the exterior edges)

 

100_0628.JPG  100_0626.JPG

 

100_0581.JPG  100_0627.JPG

 

100_0682.JPG

 

100_0681.JPG  100_0980.JPG

 

100_0678.JPG

 

100_0981.JPG

 

100_0988.JPG  100_0910.JPG

 

100_1106.JPG

 

100_0572.JPG

Esplanade between Thad Buckner Building and Administration Buildings

 

100_0679.JPG

Damage to one column allows a glimpse into the construction process

 

December 27, 2010 photos *

 

IMG_1734.jpg* IMG_1744.jpg*

 

July 17, 2011 photo

 

100_9375.JPG

Esplanade at back end of Polk Science Building

 

March 21, 2012

 

100_1988.JPG  100_1989.JPG

 

100_1990.JPG  100_9384.JPG

 

 

FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE

 

 

100_0587.JPG

Pfeiffer Chapel

 

100_0479.JPG

Fine Admin. Bldg.

 

100_0421.JPG

Watson Admin. Bldg.

 

 

100_0647.JPG

Danforth Chapel

 

100_0563.JPG

Roux Library/ Buckner

 

100_0965.JPG

Ordway Bldg.

 

100_0881.JPG

Seminar Bldgs. (3)

 

100_0826.JPG

Polk Science Bldg.

 

 

100_1119.JPG

Water Dome

 

100_0580.JPG

Esplanades

 

Revised 10/14/2012

 

redsquare.jpg