Site Specific was born when Susan Szenasy read a newspaper article about the endangered Riverview High School in Sarasota, Florida. As she researched the project, she came across what was called the Sarasota School of Architecture, originally lead by the well-known practitioner, Paul Rudolph who started his career in that resort town.

It became clear that the buildings in those mid-century Modernist years, were built with an understanding of the local climate and resources—just the kind of thing architects began discussing in the early 21st century. Susan traveled with the film, screening to various architecture and public audiences for more than a year and discussing the importance of building climate-sensitivity, with architects, designers, policy-makers, and citizens.

Unfortunately, the school which had undergone years of “modernization,” was so badly damaged that it was eventually torn down.