This month’s Tampa Bay Design Week offers 10 days of events

It’s an architecture and urban design freak’s dream—on both sides of the Bay.

By Ray Roa on Tue, Apr 9, 2024 at 12:37 am

Photo c/o Tampa Bay Design Week

Centro Espanol West Tampa

The Tampa Theatre is one of those buildings that’ll make you fall in love with a city, and this week it’s just one of nearly a dozen venues for Tampa Bay Design Week (TBDW).

The 98-year-old movie palace once faced the wrecking ball, but on Monday it hosts a free screening of the documentary, “Flexible Buildings: The Future of Architecture” which features individuals and organizations working to fight the plight of under-designed cities. A panel discussion follows the film, but TBDW offers many more opportunities on both sides of the Bay to surround yourself with people who’re curious about placemaking via architecture.

From West Tampa (that’s the Centro Espanol West Tampa, pictured) to Water Street, and even from the water by boat, TBDW has events in Tampa and closes this year’s edition with a behind the scenes tour of the St. Pete Pier, plus a self-guided driving tour of the Sunshine City’s mid century modern marvels, and more.

Tampa Bay Design Week runs April 12-21 at various venues, with no cover events and tickets for other events starting at $20.

See the full schedule below.

Slideshow

'Protect West Tampa': The spirit of a quintessential Tampa neighborhood is on the line

SE corner of Howard Avenue and Main Street in West Tampa.

West Tampa's Rosa Valdez Settlement House

In 1892, Hugh MacFarlane purchased 200 acres of swampy land on the west side of the Hillsborough River and proceeded to develop it, platting streets, subdividing land and building the first bridge across the river

New construction and historic cigar factories in West Tampa, with the A1A Tampa Bay headquarters in the distance.

West Tampa’s CRA has nearly-$20 million in its coffers. That money could go a long way toward improving the alleys, planting trees, low-cost loans to individual property owners for maintaining their historic facades and eventually creating a community cultural center in the Centro Espanol.

Click to View 23 slides

Downtown Tampa, Water street walking Tour Friday, April 12. Noon-1 p.m. No cover. Tampa Riverwalk (meet outside the Tampa Edition)

Architecture by boat: From seedy waterfront to sleek Water Street Saturday, April 13. 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. $40-$45. Tampa Water Taxi (Davis Islands Marjorie Park Marina stop)

Tampa Theatre film + discussion: Evolving Skylines, Where will Tampa Be in 50 years? Monday, April 15. 5:30 p.m.- 8 p.m. No cover. Tampa Theatre, Tampa

Water Street’s Heron building tour: Behind the scenes Tuesday, April 16. 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. $35-$40. The Heron, Tampa

West Tampa trolley tour and talk: Historic tax preservation credits for commercial redevelopment Wednesday, April 17. 4 p.m.-6 p.m. $35-$40. Berriman-Morgan Cigar Factory, Tampa

Design Evolution of a Cigar City neighborhood: A walking tour of V.M. Ybor’s Columbus Drive Thursday, April 18. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. $20-$25. Cigar Worker’s Park, Tampa

Midtown Tampa tour: Behind the scenes Thursday, April 18. 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. $40-$45. Midtown, Tampa

West Tampa’s Centro Espanol Reimagined: USF SACD students present Friday, April 19. 3 p.m.-5 p.m. No cover (registration requested). Center for Architecture & Design Tampa Bay, Tampa

St. Pete’s mid-century modern self-guided driving tour Saturday, April 20. 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $20-$25.

The future of Ybor’s visual arts venues Saturday, April 20. 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. $20-$25. Kress Building, Ybor City

The St. Pete Pier tour: Behind the scenes Sunday, April 21. 10 a.m.-noon. $20-$25. St. Pete Pier, St. Petersburg

Slideshow

A St. Pete mid-century home designed Sanford M. Goldman, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, is now for sale

A St. Petersburg mid-century home designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright is now for sale

Click to View 40 slides

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About The Author

Ray Roa

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief in August 2019. Past work can be seen at Suburban Apologist, Tampa Bay Times, Consequence of Sound and The...

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