Marion Manley (1893-1984) was a successful independent architect who played a significant role in the early development of Miami at a time when there were few female architects—she was the city’s first. Join author and architect Carie Penabad on August 27 at 7pm for an illustrated book talk about Manley’s legacy as part of our free Dyno’Nite series, showcasing local culture and talent. Penabad, associate professor of architecture and the University of Miami and principal in the firm Cure & Penabad Architects, is co-author of the recently published Marion Manley: Miami’s First Woman Architect (University of Georgia Press, $34.95), the first comprehensive, illustrated work on Manley.
“Manley’s work is interesting to us today because it was so reflective of the times in which she worked, and so tied to the development of Miami from sleepy town to major international city. It is fascinating to trace her development as an architect in the historical context in which she worked, and in terms of the city’s progression,” notes Penabad. Not only did Manley produce an impressive body of work, one which was nationally recognized at the time, but she was progressive in her celebration of the environment and landscape, her respect for the local vernacular, and her emphasis on the adaptive reuse of materials. Manley is best known as the designer, with Robert Law Weed, of the University of Miami campus. Penabad will discuss Manley’s local work, including small Spanish-style houses in the 1920s, her work on Miami’s U.S. Post Office and Federal Building in the 1930s, the masterplan for the University of Miami in the 1940s, and the many tropical modern houses she worked on in the 1940s and beyond. Penabad will sign books following her talk. For more information on Dyno’Nite events and The Dynamo Museum Shop, contact paola@thewolf.fiu.edu or 305.535.2680.