Addison Mizner (1872-1933) had a dream for Boca Raton, Florida: “It is my plan to create a city that is direct and simple… To leave out all that is ugly, to eliminate the unnecessary, and to give Florida and the nation a resort city as perfect as study and ideals can make it.” As a son of a Diplomat, Mizner spent a portion of his youth in Guatemala where he was first exposed to South American art and architecture. After his family discovered his desire to pursue these endeavors, they sent him to China in hopes that he would change his mind. To their dismay, this only solidified his goals and ultimately led to the incorporation of Asian art and architecture into his own Spanish Revival style architecture. Mizner grew up to be a 6’2″ man of 250 pounds with a joking sense of humor and a large social network of wealthy friends and clients including the social elite of Palm Beach such as the Vanderbilts, Stotesburys, Biddies, Dukes, and Wanamakers. Most of his clients were part of the aristocracy or nouveau riche and they commissioned him to build mansions and resorts and many still exist today. He felt that the commonly used Northern Architecture didn’t work with the subtropical environment and hurricanes and he shared his clients’ desires for the nostalgic and romantic images of Europe. He not only designed the buildings, but he supplied many furnishings as well. He even set up Mizner Industries to manufacturer and import the Spanish tiles, columns, wrought iron, carved wood, stained glass, and pottery that he wanted to feature in his work. Sadly, during the 1960′s and 1970′s, many Mizner works were demolished to make way for the new look consisting of exclusive and sophisticated condominiums and subdivisions. His first Florida work, the Everglades Club, remains a private retreat club off Worth Avenue in Palm Beach. He also designed the well-known Boca Raton Resort & Club.
