The Art of Place

Like many places key west has an architectural style of its own. The architectural style of key west reflects its very own cultural heritage. However In key west a contributing factor that influenced the building style was weather and terrain. Being a region notoriously known in the tropics for hurricanes the buildings were developed to withstand potential damages strong winds could cause. Another factor that influenced the building method of key west were fires that occurred in old town key west and the result of the fires were metal roofing applied to the building structure. Many of the buildings in key west are also pastel colored due to the Caribbean influence. The building style of key west was also developed by Bahamian immigrants in the eighteenth century. For air to circulate well the houses are raised up in key west in a warm sunny tropical climate plus it prevents rotting from moisture on wood. The house styles have multicultural influences from the native or indigenous inhabitants, New England the Bahamas and Africa. Also the attic spaces are extended into bedrooms. To provide cross ventilation roof hatches are installed on roofs which is a concept borrowed from ships along with louvered shutters to block out tropical sun heat allowing breezes. Along with building methods of key west and environmental factors and cultural influences that shape the way key west is perceived I feel like key west sticks out because of the presents of famous artists that lived there including the pastel color use for the buildings in key west. Famous painters of key west were Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Jimmy Buffet and Mario Sanchez. The artist that lived in key west were around different periods and have all provided something for people who had appreciation for art. The legacy left behind by artist captures an audience of people that admire them which leads to tourist attraction like where Ernest Hemmingway once lived.