Designs on Southwest Florida

As we move deeper into the new millennium, a new generation of architects stands ready with fresh outlooks and innovative ideas. We talked to four up-and-comers to get their thoughts on everything from the best new building materials to the design style that best fits our sunny, tropical setting. Read on to see how Southwest Florida architecture might soon be marching to a more contemporary beat.

Albert Dambrose

Age: 30. Company: Studio A.D. Pet peeve: "Part of the criticism I have for builders in this area is that they're just building. There's a lot of stuff here that's not architecture, it's building. There are a lot of missed opportunities." Favorite local buildings: The old Federal Post Office in downtown Fort Myers, Crowne Plaza medical office building on College Parkway. Design philosophy: "I love modern design. To me it's kind of like a clean piece of paper. You start off with no preconceived ideas, no style that's constricting you. You think conceptually as an artist." Favorite building materials: Steel and concrete. "Concrete is a fabulous material; you can put it in any shape or form you want." Current projects: A modern residence in Fort Myers, a redo of a residential, outdoor space in Fort Myers. Dream project: A high-rise building. Wish list: That regional development be a team effort, with government officials working in conjunction with architects and designers.

When Albert Dambrose first meets with clients, he asks them about everything from their social backgrounds and interests to where they've traveled. "I get into fundamental ideas," he says. "That's the [kind of] architecture I love to pursue-trying to persuade people there's a reason why they like a certain style."

Dambrose began preparing for a career in architecture when he was a teen-ager, working with William Kyle Kitchens Architect during his senior year at North Fort Myers High School. He went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in design and a master's in architecture from the University of Florida. In 2004, he started his own firm, Fort Myers-based Studio A.D. "I always had a dream to have my own company," he says. "I always wanted to have control over the design process."

Now also a full-time faculty member in Edison College's drafting and design technology program, Dambrose believes that forward-thinking architecture could help lure tourists and residents to downtown Fort Myers. "What if you interjected something new, had a downtown people loved to come to that had modern buildings, things people have to come and see?" he asks. "Why can't we do that here?"

Brandt Henning

Age: 25. Employer: Architectural Network. Favorite local commercial building: Architectural Network's office on Fifth Avenue. "It's unique from most of Fifth Avenue because of its modern and orthogonal composition; however, it blends in nicely." Pet peeve: "Society does not understand the importance of good design and is more concerned with money than a quality project." Favorite past project: Indiana Heart Hospital, an all-digital, paperless hospital. Design hero: "My grandfather had his own architectural firm for 30 years in Indiana and inspired me to become an architect." Favorite building material: "Wood, because it is so diverse and can be anything you want. It can create warmth and texture while still being contemporary." Current projects: Naples' Ninth and Ninth residential development, Bonita Village, Aldea (a mixed-use community in Fort Myers) and the new Beach Pavilion at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples. Dream project: "My future house."

A childhood spent playing with building blocks, Legos and sidewalk chalk led Brandt Henning to a career in architecture. The Indiana native also traveled extensively with his parents, seeing a variety of building styles all over the world. A graduate of Ball State University in Indiana, Henning has interned at BSA LifeStructures in Indianapolis and now works for Architectural Network in Naples.

"I prefer modern designs that are innovative," Henning explains. "But as a young designer, my design philosophy is still developing, and it should continue to grow as I gain experience and knowledge."

As for the Southwest Florida architecture scene, Henning hopes it also continues to grow and evolve. "Obviously, the Mediterranean style is dominating, which I believe fits well with the context of the area," he says. "However, a little variety and progressive thinking about design and the environment are necessary for the evolution of this area. There is a lot of suburban sprawl with strip malls on every corner, which begins to look like every other town in the United States."

Claudia Roncoroni

Age: 34. Employer: BSSW Architects. Favorite past projects: Golden Gate Annex, Grey Oaks Public Safety Facility, a new clubhouse at the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club. Design philosophy: "Less is more. I don't want to be too minimalist, but I definitely don't like having too much of what is not necessary." Favorite building style: Contemporary. Least favorite building style: Greek Revival. Design hero: Giuseppe Terragni, a leader of the Italian Rationalist movement. Favorite building material: Concrete. "It is a living creature; it never stops changing." Current projects: Collier County's Government Service Center, new libraries for Golden Gate and Marco Island. Dream project: Designing a church or museum. Wish list: "More space for contemporary architecture in Southwest Florida."

A native of Como, Italy, Claudia Roncoroni studied architecture at the Politecnico di Milano. After receiving her degree in 1999, she began looking for a job in the United States or another country where English is spoken. "I was looking for a foreign experience, something that would challenge me," she says. She wound up in Naples, where she works for BSSW Architects.

Having grown up in Italy, Roncoroni knows a thing or two about the style of architecture that's become almost ubiquitous in these parts. "The Mediterranean-style architecture here is something that is very appealing to the general public," she says. "But it is very different from the real Mediterranean architecture." Roncoroni hopes it doesn't become the de facto style for the area and that other types of architecture are embraced.

"I hope that the general public will start to appreciate architecture that is closer to our time," she says. "Usually when people think about contemporary architecture, they think about uncomfortable spaces. I hope that people will recognize that contemporary spaces can be very comfortable and appealing, too."

Jim Woody

Age: 30. Employer: Erickson Associates. Favorite commercial building: Orion Bank building in downtown Naples. Design hero: "Antoine Predock inspired me when I was in school. He makes some outlandish statements about every building he completes." Favorite past project: Working on the new terminal for O'Hare. "We were working with six other architecture firms and several engineering firms. The blending of all the different ideas was really a challenge, having to work to come together at the end." Wish list: To create a design incorporating a rain screen wall system. Vision for Southwest Florida: "That as [it] continues to develop at this rapid pace we have developers, architects and urban planners who develop the area consciously, not haphazardly. I hope for thoughtful design." Current projects: A 25,000-square-foot residence on the Gulf, a private hangar at Naples Municipal Airport, a custom home at Fiddler's Creek. Dream project: To build out the interior of an airplane or cruise ship.Born just outside of Toronto, Jim Woody received a bachelor's degree in architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1999. He then landed a job at DeStefano & Partners in Chicago, where he focused mainly on a project to build a new terminal at O'Hare International Airport. (It was scrapped following the Sept. 11 attacks.) In 2002, he made his way to Naples, where he now serves as vice president at Erickson Associates.

"One of the first things that intrigued me about this area was the scale of the homes that this office works on," he says. Think ultra-high-end residences clocking in at more than 20,000 square feet.

On the commercial side, he's worked with such companies as WCI and Hyatt. "With this market, you have to do something more than typical block-and-stucco construction," Woody says. "Commercial clients are looking for something that's going to attract tenants. They're looking for a higher level of quality to help sell their product."