The lyrical way that sea oats sway in the breeze inspired Sarasota County’s new beach pavilions at Caspersen, Manasota, North Jetty and South Lido beaches. Designed by Sweet Sparkman Architects, they’re as practical as they are beautiful, with flat roofs that capture rainwater that’s directed to cisterns and used for irrigation and toilet flushing. The Caspersen Beach pavilion, shown here, won a Design Excellence Award from the Florida/Caribbean AIA. Next up for Sweet Sparkman: the renovation and expansion of the Siesta Public Beach pavilion designed in 1960 in the iconic Sarasota School of Architecture style by architect Tim Seibert. It’s part of a $21 million improvement project that will add parking, new tennis courts, a playground and a pedestrian esplanade.

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This article appears in the April 2014 issue of Sarasota Magazine. Like what you read? Click here to subscribe. >>