HomeMy WebLinkAboutBack-Up DocumentsUNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
COLLEGE of ENGINEERING
Antonio Nanni, PhD, PE, FASCE, FACT, FIIFC 1.251 Memorial Drive Ph: 305-z84-3461
Inaugural Senior Scholar MEB Room 325 Fax: 305-z84-3492
Professor&Chair Coral Gables, FL 33146 nanniQamiami.edu
1. J Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering
December 5, 2017
City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board
Ref.: National Register Nomination for the Miami Marine Stadium
Dear Board Members:
After reading of this nomination, I felt compelled to write this letter in its support. I am a structural engineer
and, as such, I wanted to give you a perspective beyond the architectural prominence of this structure that
is more than well known.
Our Miami Marine Stadium is among the iconic reinforced concrete buildings around the world that stem
from construction materials and methods originally developed by the Italian engineer/architect Pier Luigi
Nervi. In fact, during the month of October of this year, UM hosted for three weeks an international exhibit
on the works of P.L. Nervi. During this event, the resemblance of the Miami Marine Stadium and the soccer
stadium designed by Nervi for the City of Florence, Italy, in 1932 was discussed. The point being that our
stadium may be considered a "modern monument." It played a central role in the evolution of construction
as part of the historical legacy of stadiums built throughout Europe and Latin America utilizing cantilevered
folded plate roofs. This thin -shell technique takes advantage of geometry and shape to allow for the creation
of long spans.
I just wanted to inform you that this type of historic thin -shell structures (perhaps even less prominent) are
being restored and made available to the public as a living testimony of the development of engineering.
For example, the Kursaal bathing establishment in Ostia, on the Tyrrhenian Sea near Rome, Italy, was
refurbished in 2014. The two pictures below show the original structure and its state prior to the repair.
In closing, the addition of the Miami Marine Stadium to the National Register will contribute to have Miami
recognized not only for its vocation as a tourist destination, but also for its cultural heritage and relevance
in the history of construction.
Sincerely,
National Trust for
Historic Preservation
`1*•Save the past. Enrich the future.
December 20, 2017
City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board
City of Miami Planning Department
444 SW 2nd Avenue, 3rd Floor
Miami, FL 33130
Dear Chairman and Members:
I am writing today to encourage your support of Miami Marine Stadium's
nomination to the National Register of Historic Places — our nation's official list
of places most worthy of preservation.
Chartered by Congress in 1949, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has
almost 70 years of experience preserving historic places across the United States.
Because of this, we know firsthand that preservation is rarely straightforward; it
is work that requires vision, patience, and creativity. We also know that, no
matter how beloved or how strong the groundswell of support may be, saving a
place takes time.
That was our thinking when we founded our flagship program, National
Treasures — a portfolio of historic buildings, landscapes, and communities across
the country that are integral to the story of America, but face challenges that can
be difficult to resolve. For each National Treasure, we make a deep, long-term
commitment to find a preservation solution that will stand the test of time. This
is the commitment we have made, for example, in the District of Columbia for the
Washington National Cathedral, in Houston for the Astrodome, and in Miami for
Miami Marine Stadium.
When we named the Stadium a National Treasure in 2012, our goal was to ensure
that future generations could experience this place that captures the spirit of
South Florida like no other structure. And in the course of this work, we have
inspired supporters in Florida and from around the country to signal their
commitment nearly 20,000 times, usually in the form of petition drives to city
leadership.
Too passionate to ignore, their collective voice proves what we have known all
along — Miami Marine Stadium is not just a cherished local landmark, it is an
architectural icon that inspires people across the nation.
Today, I ask that you heed this call by supporting the Stadium's nomination to
the National Register of Historic Places.
Stephanie K. Meeks I PRESIDENT
The Watergate Office Building 2600 Virginia Avenue NW Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20037
E smeeks()savingplaces.org P202.588.6105 F202.588.6082 Saving Places.org
City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board
December 20, 2017
Page 2
Miami Marine Stadium not only exemplifies the distinctive characteristics of the
international idiom of mid-century modern architecture, but helped pioneer it.
The naked, unadorned nature of its materials along with the sculptural bravura of
its form place it firmly in the context of this period, while the weightlessness of its
wavelike expression and the addition of an engineered basin represent exciting
innovations. Because of this, it is the strong belief of the National Trust for
Historic Preservation that Miami Marine Stadium meets Criteria C for the
National Register, which states that a property must embody the distinctive
characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction.
From the Freedom Tower to the Art Deco of South Beach, the National Register
recognizes and celebrates historic treasures that are South Florida's calling card
to the world. By adding the Stadium to this impressive list, we will finally and
fully recognize its significance as a place that — like those other landmarks —
defines Miami.
New York City has the Empire State Building. San Francisco has the Golden Gate
Bridge. And Miami, has the Marine Stadium.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
S hanie K. eeks
resident and CEO