Compare and Contrast - James Gamble Rogers II and Ryan & Roberts, Architects

My talk at Casa Feliz on Tuesday night included this presentation: 

Compare:

 

First of all, they were both regional architects, with their main body of work being completed in Central Florida. Which is fortunate for us;  since we have the opportunity to visit them easily, and they are part of the built environment that we can enjoy daily.

Second, they were both primarily residential architects. Although not limited to residential.  Indeed, one of Rogers' most notable buildings is his Florida Suprme Court Building in Tallahassee.  LIkewise, the Veteran's Memorial Building in St Cloud is one of the most accessible works by Ryan and Roberts. 

Villa Formosa - Ryan and Roberts, Architects

 

Casa Feliz - James Gamble Rogers II, Architect

Third, they both achieved a measure of success in their profession. In other words, by doing the work of architecture, they were able to make a living for themselves and to provide others work. 

 

Fourth, both in the time that they worked and  created, and in later years down to today, they found an appreciative audience among those who are interested in the architecture of Central Florida.

 

Contrast:

 

First, Ryan and Roberts are part of a larger group of architects who were, collegially, trying to create a new architecture for Central Florida. The medium that they used has become familiar to us, which may indicate that they were quite successful in their efforts. We now think of it as Mediterranean Revival or Spanish Revival. Which it is. But in the case of Ryan and Roberts, they did not stray into other stylistic motifs. Although there were occasional hints of their former work up north in some of their completed projects.

 

James Gamble Rogers II, in contrast, was remarkably adept at many different architectural styles. So, there are homes in a Spanish or Mediterranean Revival style. But he ran the gamut from Colonial, to Art Deco, to works harking back to classical Greece and Rome. He was not part of the movement trying to create a new architecture for Central Floirda. He was part of the prevailing mode of the middle of the 20th century, that was open to using a variety of historic styles in fresh ways.

 

Second: Just by virtue of being an architect, one is working with clients that have some means to accomplish their building projects. That being said, in general, James Gamble Rogers II had more clients with more resources than did Ryan and Roberts. At least from what we’re able to discover at this point. What this also means is that James Gamble Rogers II's works were built in places that continue to be extremely desirable neighborhoods. So the likelihood of his work being appreciated, cared for, and preserved is much greater than the works of Ryan and Roberts. Many of which have also already fallen pray to the wrecking ball.

 

Third: Of course, the obvious contrast is that Ryan and Roberts were women, in a man’s field, and they prevailed in a way that they earned a livelihood, and a fine reputation in Central Florida. There were any number of objections that were placed in their way, in their pursuit of architecture, simply because they were women.  In contrast, James Gamble Rogers II came from an architecture family, so it was in his DNA. And being a man, not a woman, he did not have the same hurdles to deal with as Ryan and Roberts.

 

Finally, Ryan and Roberts had the misfortune of a past association with Frank Lloyd Wright, which meant that Wright did as he did with most of the architects that were at one time associated with him, and that is downplayed their contributions to his success, and the field of architecture in general. James Gamble Rogers II did not have that particular problem. And indeed while not world famous, James Gamble Rogers II is well-known in Central Florida, even to those that don’t know much about Central Florida architecture. Ryan and Robert still remain obscure, for the most part.