Florida Tropical House
Encyclopedia
The Florida Tropical House is a beach house
located on Lake Michigan
's shoreline in Beverly Shores
, Indiana
. The house was originally built in 1933 as part of the Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition
during the 1933 World's Fair
which took place in nearby Chicago
. Today it is part of the Century of Progress Architectural District
, a historic district
.
After years of disrepair, the house is currently being renovated and is subleased to a private renter who has agreed to cover the restoration costs. The Florida Tropical House was designed in such a way that the inside and outside environments are blended together. Its exterior was designed in the Modernist
style by architect Robert Law Weed
and painted a Floridian pink.
The Florida Tropical House, along with four other exhibition homes from 1933, were added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1986, collectively known as the "World's Fair Houses
." The other five homes are scattered around Beverly Shores; four of them are close neighbors of the Florida Tropical House.
of the 1933 World's Fair
by the State of Florida to showcase itself and to entice tourism to the state. The construction was carried out by the Deigaard & Preston construction firm for a total of approx. $
15,000.
The house was moved to its current location by real estate developer Robert Bartlett. Bartlett, who wanted to establish a resort community in the area complete with a golf course
, hotel, and botanical garden
, was responsible for moving six of the exhibition's homes to the area, brought to Beverly Shores by barge
in 1935.
and blends both the indoor and outdoor environments together with its use of an outdoor terrace. The building was designed in the Modernist
style by Miami architect Robert Law Weed with the needs of a Florida resident in mind. This is represented by the fact that some of the original amenities had to be replaced for them to survive the area's continental climate
.
The house itself sits atop a concrete slab, which was placed onto a basement foundation when it was moved here in 1935. The exterior is covered with a light-weight concrete stucco
painted in pink. Materials used for the building included travertine
, limestone
, Portland cement
and clay
tile—all of which are native to Florida. Although it was planned to be built with poured concrete walls, the house was framed in wood in order to save money.
The house's interior was carried out by architects James S. Kuhne and Percival H. Goodman
from Chicago
and New York
respectively. The interior, painted in shades of yellow, coral, and blue, was designed in the Modernist style—as was the rest of the house. The central part of the interior features a living and dining room connected via an aluminum staircase to an overhanging balcony with access to the terrace. The house's two bedrooms and the only bathroom, were located on the ground floor.
The building's flat roof
was modeled from that of a storm-proof deck from an ocean liner
and included a loggia
, deck, and recreation room. Once covered with ceramic
tiles, the flooring had to be replaced and covered with roofing for it to endure the harsh mid-western winters. At some point in time, a dumbwaiter was also located on the terrace; however, it was removed shortly after the move to Beverly Shores.
and the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana
searching for potential lessees to restore the building. Under the agreement, the private owner would receive a 30-year sublease, providing that they would cover all of the restoration costs, and open the home to the public at least once a year. Restoration on the home is estimated at approx. $450,000 by the current lessee William Beatty, who signed the lease agreement in 2000.
Beach house
A beach house is a house on or near a beach, generally used as a vacation or second home for people who commute to the house on weekends or during vacation periods....
located on Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
's shoreline in Beverly Shores
Beverly Shores, Indiana
Beverly Shores is a town in Pine Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States, about east of downtown Chicago. The population was 613 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. The house was originally built in 1933 as part of the Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition
1933 Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition
The Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition was part of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. The Fair's theme that year was a Century of Progress, and celebrated man's innovations in architecture, science, technology and transportation...
during the 1933 World's Fair
Century of Progress
A Century of Progress International Exposition was the name of a World's Fair held in Chicago from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. The theme of the fair was technological innovation...
which took place in nearby Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Today it is part of the Century of Progress Architectural District
Century of Progress Architectural District
The Century of Progress Architectural District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district is in eastern unit of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The homes are also part of the Beverly Shores, Indiana, community...
, a historic district
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
.
After years of disrepair, the house is currently being renovated and is subleased to a private renter who has agreed to cover the restoration costs. The Florida Tropical House was designed in such a way that the inside and outside environments are blended together. Its exterior was designed in the Modernist
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
style by architect Robert Law Weed
Robert Law Weed
Robert Law Weed was an architect from Miami, Florida. He designed many Modernist buildings in Miami and abroad.-Some of his projects:...
and painted a Floridian pink.
The Florida Tropical House, along with four other exhibition homes from 1933, were added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1986, collectively known as the "World's Fair Houses
Century of Progress Architectural District
The Century of Progress Architectural District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district is in eastern unit of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The homes are also part of the Beverly Shores, Indiana, community...
." The other five homes are scattered around Beverly Shores; four of them are close neighbors of the Florida Tropical House.
Construction
The Florida House (as it was called originally) was built in 1933 for the Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition1933 Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition
The Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition was part of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. The Fair's theme that year was a Century of Progress, and celebrated man's innovations in architecture, science, technology and transportation...
of the 1933 World's Fair
Century of Progress
A Century of Progress International Exposition was the name of a World's Fair held in Chicago from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. The theme of the fair was technological innovation...
by the State of Florida to showcase itself and to entice tourism to the state. The construction was carried out by the Deigaard & Preston construction firm for a total of approx. $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
15,000.
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, hotel, and botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
, was responsible for moving six of the exhibition's homes to the area, brought to Beverly Shores by barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
in 1935.
Architecture and design
The Florida Tropical House's design was inspired by Florida's tropical climateTropical climate
A tropical climate is a climate of the tropics. In the Köppen climate classification it is a non-arid climate in which all twelve months have mean temperatures above...
and blends both the indoor and outdoor environments together with its use of an outdoor terrace. The building was designed in the Modernist
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
style by Miami architect Robert Law Weed with the needs of a Florida resident in mind. This is represented by the fact that some of the original amenities had to be replaced for them to survive the area's continental climate
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
.
The house itself sits atop a concrete slab, which was placed onto a basement foundation when it was moved here in 1935. The exterior is covered with a light-weight concrete stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
painted in pink. Materials used for the building included travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
, limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, Portland cement
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
and clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
tile—all of which are native to Florida. Although it was planned to be built with poured concrete walls, the house was framed in wood in order to save money.
The house's interior was carried out by architects James S. Kuhne and Percival H. Goodman
Percival Goodman
Percival Goodman was an American urban theorist and architect who designed more than 50 synagogues between 1948 and 1983. He has been called the "leading theorist" of modern synagogue design, and "the most prolific architect in Jewish history."-Biography:Percival Goodman was born in New York City...
from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
respectively. The interior, painted in shades of yellow, coral, and blue, was designed in the Modernist style—as was the rest of the house. The central part of the interior features a living and dining room connected via an aluminum staircase to an overhanging balcony with access to the terrace. The house's two bedrooms and the only bathroom, were located on the ground floor.
Flat roof
A flat roof is a type of covering of a building. In contrast to the sloped form of a roof, a flat roof is horizontal or nearly horizontal. Materials that cover flat roofs typically allow the water to run off freely from a very slight inclination....
was modeled from that of a storm-proof deck from an ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
and included a loggia
Loggia
Loggia is the name given to an architectural feature, originally of Minoan design. They are often a gallery or corridor at ground level, sometimes higher, on the facade of a building and open to the air on one side, where it is supported by columns or pierced openings in the wall...
, deck, and recreation room. Once covered with ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
tiles, the flooring had to be replaced and covered with roofing for it to endure the harsh mid-western winters. At some point in time, a dumbwaiter was also located on the terrace; however, it was removed shortly after the move to Beverly Shores.
Restoration efforts
Restoration efforts on the Florida Tropical House were started in 1997, with the Indiana Dunes National LakeshoreIndiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore located in northwest Indiana and managed by the National Park Service. It was authorized by Congress in 1966. The national lakeshore runs for nearly along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, from Gary, Indiana, on the west to Michigan...
and the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana
Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana
Indiana Landmarks is America's largest private statewide historic preservation organization. Founded as the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana by Indianapolis pharmaceutical executive Eli Lilly in 1960, the organization is a private non-governmental organization with nearly 11,000 members...
searching for potential lessees to restore the building. Under the agreement, the private owner would receive a 30-year sublease, providing that they would cover all of the restoration costs, and open the home to the public at least once a year. Restoration on the home is estimated at approx. $450,000 by the current lessee William Beatty, who signed the lease agreement in 2000.
See also
- Indiana Dunes National LakeshoreIndiana Dunes National LakeshoreIndiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore located in northwest Indiana and managed by the National Park Service. It was authorized by Congress in 1966. The national lakeshore runs for nearly along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, from Gary, Indiana, on the west to Michigan...
- List of Registered Historic Places in Indiana