Sustainable Design, Lecture 3: Mike Calvino

Sustainable Design - Lecture 3

Mike Calvino, CALVINO Architecture Studio

Threads in Design

April 22, 2026

6:00 - 7:00pm

The Pavilion, 265 S Orange Ave., Sarasota, FL 34236

ABOUT THE SERIES

Re-envisioning the built environment to prioritize sustainability, resilience, and innovation. This series focuses on responsive design strategies and architecture capable of adapting to rapid environmental change.

Gabriela Carrillo, Taller Gabriela Carrillo

February 4, 2026 - 6:00 pm

Felipe Mesa, PLAN:B Architects

February 18, 2026 - 6:00 pm

Mike Calvino, CALVINO Architecture Studio

April 22, 2026 - 6:00 pm

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Mike Calvino received his architectural education at the University of Florida acquiring a Bachelor of Design in 1992 and a Master of Architecture in 1994. Calvino also earned his Architect's license in 1999, received his NCARB certification in 2002 and a Certified General Contractor's license in 2000. He opened his own design studio in November of 1997 and continues to design and build projects at a variety of scales as the design focus leads.

Calvino’s interest and enjoyment of the hands-on side of the making process began early, making wooden model ships from scratch around age 10—13 and in the mid-90’s, after college the crafting of things took on a sort of necessity role as the quest to find willing craftsmen to build and/or fabricate design ideas became seemingly more trouble than it was worth. Calvino’s first commissioned project, the Loft for Sarah in 1995 started with a wood model and some detailed drawings. When it came time to fabricate the pieces, after visiting a number of welding/fab shops, and getting nothing but excuses and ideas about how to build it differently, Calvino bought a welder, a welding handbook, a welding text book, taught himself how to weld and practiced on a number of scrap steel sections, testing the welds with known weights and loading conditions to verify weld integrity, and fabricated the project himself. This project set a precedent of seeking fabricators/contractors to build projects, but when (and it was much more often than not) resistance or very high pricing was encountered, Calvino took on the crafting of the projects himself with the assistance of relatives and interested students. When the commission for the Ruskin House came along, the same pattern ensued and Calvino acquired his CGC License in Florida and has been his own contractor ever since.

PHOTO CREDITS: Courtesy of Mike Calvino

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