Riverview High School in Sarasota was built in 1958.  It was officially dedicated on 02/08/1959.  It was the first public building designed by Paul Rudolph.  He was an internationally respected architect.  Riverview High School was one of the most progressive schools of its day.

     The buildings were arranged in a U shape creating an open plaza in the center.  A distinctive free standing covered  parkway of horizontal plain completed the square on a the fourth side. This configuration  ensured students were always protected from sun and rain.  The schol.had 25 classrooms, a cafeteria, gymnasium,  library,  2 shops, 2 home economic rooms, 2 music rooms, offices for the staff.

     The plan included a planetarium.    The building style was internationalist.    It included modern steel and glass among native pine trees.

     The 2 story classroom buildings were designed with generous corridors open at both ends to insure cross breeze.

     Paul Rudolph incorporated passive ventilation, day lighting and shading in his plan for the school.  The building was  never designed to work with air conditioning.  Use of air conditioning led to problems with mold.  Inappropriate alterations in the last few.decades as well as poor maintenance led to high restoration costs.  In 2009, the school board voted to demolish the Rudolph Building.  It was converted to a parking lot.

     Architect Richard Price  was tasked with the project to replace the Paul Rudolph building in 2009.  The general contractor was W.G. Mills.  Electrical Contractor was NCN Electric.  Fire alarm Contractor was Commercial Electric Systems.

     The new school was 53200 square feet. The traditional design centered around an expansive interior court yard . Project included a large auditorium Riverview Performance Art Center.

     Include in the project were 72 classrooms for English, Math, Social Studies, World Languages.  Average classroom size is 860 square feet..  There was one day care facility ( 11370 square feet).  There were 19 Science Classrooms ( 1,320 square feet).  There were 12 rooms for Career and Technical Education (1315 square feet)

     There were 5 Art Classroom; 7 Music Classrooms; 2 Drama Classrooms, 2 Junior ROTC Classrooms, 6 exceptional Classrooms; One English for speakers of other languages classroom; 1 newspaper and English Classroom; 1 Yearbook and English Classroom;5 Physical Education Classrooms; one gymnastium with seating for 2,200.