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March 21, 2018 Marcel Breuer

Modern Snapshot: Breuer’s IBM Building in Boca

With it snowing here in DC today, I thought a little Breuer in Boca would be nice to look at as we yearn for spring to actually start. Marcel Breuer and Robert Gatje designed IBM’s North American Research and Development facility in Boca Raton, where IBM developed the first personal computer. Built between 1968 and 1972, the Brutalist complex is based on their design of IBM’s research center located in LaGaude, France. Today, it is known as the Boca Raton Innovation Campus. It is a heavy design for the flat topography of Florida, but the myriad of windows and being raised on pilotis allows light to come in and provides a lighter feel as air flows underneath the buildings. The raised structure also serves as covered parking areas, which are important during the summer months.