Bayport Beach and Tennis Club. Longboat Key, Florida.

The original program was to place 136 multi-family units on a 25-acre site. The site buffered a single-family neighborhood to the north and a mid-rise multifamily neighborhood to the south.  The natural environment; consisting of a large stand of indigenous pines and mangrove wetlands along the bay; were important to the developer and to the city.  Minimum impact to the natural environment was desired.

The building design incorporated white stucco walls with deep recesses, wood louvered windows, wood trellis, and privacy courts.  The typical unit types were arranged in one and two story buildings that were situated around pedestrian and vehicular areas.  These clusters or villages were placed along a single common drive connecting the clusters and recreational amenities with the public thoroughfare.  The natural stand of pines, mangroves and other indigenous plant material were preserved and used as a buffer and a backdrop of green to the building’s simple white, brown, and blue colors.

Photographers: James Novak

Seibert Architects

Year Built: 1980