COTI Conversation To Feature Noted Architect Joyce Owens, FAIA

provided to The Santiva Chronicle

“Rebuilding Sanibel: Aesthetics and Resiliency – a Balancing Act” is the subject of the Committee of the Islands’ COTI Conversation at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13, in the Founder’s Room at the Sanibel Community House. Internationally recognized local architect Joyce Owens, along with COTI board members, will address the tensions that arise between aesthetics and resiliency as Sanibel rebuilds after Hurricane Ian.

COTI Conversations are a valued benefit of COTI membership. Non-members who would like to attend are welcome to join, as seating permits.

Changes to the Sanibel Land Development Code are well under way, making it easier for property owners to redevelop and build resiliently. Unnecessary red tape has been eliminated, permitting made simpler, and allowances made for less-rigid design standards and increased building height – but at what price?

The challenge confronting the city is to make resiliency a reality without unnecessarily sacrificing the aesthetic values of the Sanibel Plan and Vision Statement. Owens, a Fellow in the American Society of Architects, will talk about design techniques available to the homeowner and architect to reduce the tension between resiliency and aesthetics.

The program on December 13 will focus on some specific design issues and the implications of Senate Bill 250, which prevents local governments from making new codes more restrictive than before Hurricane Ian.

At the end of the presentations, there will be time for questions. This will be an opportunity for residents to ask about issues they may be confronting in their own rebuilding projects. In addition, it’s a chance for the Committee of the Islands to learn more about attendees’ positions on these timely issues, which will enable COTI to better represent members in public forums.

Joyce Owens, FAIA, RIBA, is the principal architect at Architecture Joyce Owens LLC / Studio AJO in Fort Myers. Her client list extends through the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy. She was the recipient of the 2022 Gold Medal of Honor awarded by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Florida chapter, recognizing her leadership and significant contributions to the architecture profession, her communities, and architecture at large. In 2020, she was awarded the organization’s Medal of Honor for Design, AIA Florida’s pinnacle design award honoring her as one of the most influential architects in the state.

For more information about COTI, visit coti.org or email coti33957@gmail.com.