Laurinda Hope Spear

Laurinda Hope Spear, FAIA, ASLA, LEED AP (born 1950)[2] is an American architect and landscape architect based in Miami, Florida.[3] She is one of the founders of Arquitectonica, the international architecture, planning, and interior design firm, which formed in 1977. In 2005, in order to further explore sustainable design principles, she co-founded ArquitectonicaGEO, a landscape architecture firm.

Laurinda Hope Spear
Born23 August 1950[1]
Rochester, MN, USA[1]
NationalityAmerican
EducationBachelor of Fine Arts, Brown University, 1972; Master of Architecture, Columbia University, 1975; Master of Landscape Architecture, Florida International University, 2006
Occupationarchitect, landscape architect and designer
Known forbeing founding member of Arquitectonica

Early life

Spear was born in 1950.

Spear graduated from Everglades School in 1968[4] and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1972 from Brown University,[5] where she later served as a trustee for six years. She received her Master of Architecture from Columbia University in 1975 and a Master of Landscape Architecture from Florida International University in 2006.[6]

Career

Spear co-founded Arquitectonica with her husband Bernardo and friend Hervin Romney. Arquitectonica translates to "architectural" in Spanish and embodied principles of Modernism.[7] One of Spear's designs, the Atlantis tower, became a symbol of Miami, due to its frequent appearances on Miami Vice. Although the commissions the firm received originally were contained to Miami, the firm has since broken national boundaries. Spear has designed several hundred buildings located around the world. Spear designed the Dijon Urban Complex and Performing Arts Center in Dijon, France in 1991-1998 and the Miami International Airport Terminal in Miami, Florida, in 1996-2005.

With ArquitectonicaGEO, her work includes the landscape for the Miami Science Museum as well as Hudson Square in New York City. In addition to architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design, Spear designs products[8] for firms such as Dune, Wolf Gordon, and Hickory Business Furniture.

Spear was awarded the Rome Prize in Architecture in 1978.[9] She did not, however, complete the full eleven-month fellowship term at the American Academy of Rome, having left Italy in less than two months. In 1992, she was made a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.[9] In 1999, she was inducted into the Interior Design Magazine Hall of Fame.[5]

Spear does not follow the historical eclecticism of the current postmodern trend, but prefers a more original and unprecedented style. This style is described as unconventional and modern, utilizing abstract geometric shapes and bright primary colors. Their designs come across as romantic and playful, but are also bold and dramatic. Influential architect, Philip Johnson, declared the firm as "the gutsiest team in the business."[10] Spear is responsible for much of the firm's signature work and has over 150 products on the market in the group she created, Laurinda Spear Products.[6] She instituted the interior design practice within the firm, which has earned a spot in the Interior Design Hall of Fame.[9]

Personal life

Spear is married to Bernardo Fort Brescia, the son of billionaire heiress Rosa Brescia Cafferata.[11] They reside in Coconut Grove, Florida.[12]

References
  1. The Concise Grove Dictionary of Art. Oxford University Press, Inc. 2002. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
  2. Fleming, John; Hugh Honour; Nikolaus Pevsner (2000). The Penguin Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture: Fifth Edition. Penguin. p. 23. ISBN 978-0-14-051323-3.
  3. Bernstein, Fred (June 14, 2001). "Trade Secrets; Another Cooling Sound To Drown Out the Heat". The New York Times.
  4. Ransom-Everglades School. Alumni Directory 1981.
  5. "Corporation of Brown University elects eight new trustees". Brown University News Service. 2003-06-04. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
  6. "Our People". Arquitectonica International Corporation. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  7. Helen., Searing (1998). Equal partners : men and women principals in contemporary architectural practice. Smith College. Museum of Art., Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art., Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Northampton, Mass.: Smith College Museum of Art. ISBN 0873910508. OCLC 39903039.
  8. Goldberger, Paul (December 30, 1984). "Architecture View; Design Consciousness reached a new High". The New York Times.
  9. James P. Cramer; Jennifer Evans Yankopolus (2005). Almanac of architecture and design. Greenway Communications. pp. 400–. ISBN 978-0-9675477-9-4. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  10. Kester Rattenbury; Robert Bevan; Kieran Long (18 July 2006). Architects Today. Laurence King Publishing. p. 1998. ISBN 978-1-85669-492-6. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  11. "Rosa Brescia Cafferata". Forbes. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  12. Leigh Brown, Patricia (October 25, 1990). "Having a Wonderful Time in Miami". The New York Times. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
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