About the project….

A NEW SAILING EDUCATION CENTER

Designed by PS Design Workshop, in collaboration with William Olmstead Antozzi Office of Architecture

“Education is a process of conveying potential or possibility, then encouraging and giving time for discovery. It is deliberate and hopeful, grounded in the desire that all may grow and flourish. There is much greater support and public awareness today of the importance of learning, from the early years to the long-term health, and to the success of our children and our communities. Located outside of conventional institutions, the Sarasota Sailing Squadron aspires to provide a unique place for learning about the timeless tradition of sailing to the community of Sarasota and the next generation of sailors. 

The new sailing education center will be a multi-purpose and multifaceted education, community, event, and office space focused on and around the world of sailing. The building will serve as a home for both Sarasota Youth Sailing and its flotilla. A safe, enriching, and inclusive place providing an opportunity for residents and visitors to enjoy the adventures of the water. 

The design of the new education building draws from both the guiding principles put forth by the Sarasota School of Architecture as well as the regionally defining vernacular projects of the area and existing Squadron buildings. Serving as a coastal demarcation and point-of-interest, the new building will embody the serve the day-to-day activities of youth sailing, but also personify the identity of the Squadron and the continuing relationship it has with its community. 

A civic oriented building, it’s intended to be fun, interactive, and informative about the marine environment, sailing culture, and sustainability. The sailboat itself provides the building blocks to be used as the foundation of the Sarasota Youth Sailing Education Building; engineered by streamlines, organized by utility, and maximized for potential. 

The new building will be focused on running the Sarasota Youth Sailing program which accommodates approximately 400 youth ages 5-18 in attendance each summer and 75 sailors in the year-round program. The program supports High School teams in sailing and racing locally and nationally. In addition, adult groups such as the Sarasota Sailing Squadron, Luffing Lassies and Sail Sarasota among others will also utilize the building for both organization and boat storage. 

The Sailing Squadron has a beautiful and charming history as one of the founding organizations of the city culture. Drawing from the past, utilizing the present, and investing in the future, the Squadron seeks to provide a landmark that will represent the enduring bond between the city of Sarasota and the water which surrounds it. The intent is to create a vessel for learning and outreach as fundamentally well suited for the task as the sailboat itself is for sailing.” 

-PS Design Workshop