REAL Exclusive Magazine

Bill Tagland

Design for Life

By Lalaena Gonzalez-Figueroa

Photography by Chad Spencer

His ability to successfully marry technical details with imaginative design has driven the flourishing career of architect Bill Tagland. The New Jersey native has integrated himself into the fabric of Sarasota’s communities with homes that are as rich and diverse as the area’s residents. His innovative approach engages clients from the onset; Bill thrives on the challenge of bringing the visions of others to light.

He launched his solo career through tenacity and talent, though Bill accrued critical field experience well before he earned his professional license. “My uncle was an architect, and I started doing grunt work for him when I was twelve years old,” he recalls. Eventually he began to contribute his own designs, overnighting drawings from his college digs in Chicago. “The passion for houses has always been there,” Bill reveals. A recently rediscovered sketchbook supports this; intermingled with drawings of rocket ships and Godzilla, were homes.

Take a minute to explore the hundreds of structures Bill has designed throughout the course of his career, and his creativity becomes immediately evident. “I don’t have a rote set of designs that I modify and adapt,” he says. “Instead, I sit with my clients and work to create a home that will meet their unique lifestyles.” It’s not uncommon, Bill notes, for him to sit down at an initial meeting with a blank roll of sketch paper. “We start talking, and I create a conceptual design in front of them. Of course, we are modifying it as we move forward, but that first drawing is such an exciting process for us. It’s fun, it engages my clients, and it allows them the opportunity to really make the home their own.”

Bill’s designs range from classic to whimsical, and while each is a creation unique in itself, there is a nearly imperceptible vein that connects his work. “I strive to make the design timeless,” he explains. “There are exceptions, but I try to avoid a typical look that may date a home.” Thorough research, he adds, is critical to this process. “I seek historical references that impact a particular style, and find the enduring elements.” From Tuscan-style farmhouses, to Nantucket-inspired homes, to structures that evoke the British West Indies, Bill’s creations contribute to their respective communities in their beauty, form and function. And while his designs may be found in Orlando’s heralded Celebration, the Bahamas and South Carolina, much of his work is created for clients in communities throughout Sarasota, New Jersey and their surrounding regions.

Form and function collaborate in Bill’s designs; he maximizes the use of space and light to create homes that speak to their owners’ lifestyles. “There is always a view,” he observes. “My designs capitalize on the space around them.” An innovative perspective makes the difference. “I designed one home on Bird Key,” Bill recalls. “It was situated on a smaller lot, so we turned the house to sit on an angle.” Rather than opening to their neighbors’ homes, the windows now afford spectacular open views.

Bill’s emphasis on the details reflects his commitment to thoughtful design and a collaborative creative process. “There are times when a home is so close,” he intones. “It will be this beautiful structure with the wrong windows. I take the time to address those details, and it shows in the finished product.” The process, he adds, involves ongoing communication between clients, contractors and the design team. When challenges arise, says Bill, the group’s ability to adapt and work together is crucial to the project’s success. “The best homes are built when everyone is on board,” he observes.

Bill’s designs are also dotting the regions being rebuilt after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, and he looks forward to continued work with Sarasota-area clients who seek to build homes that showcase their unique styles. From offbeat to traditional, contemporary to classic, his award winning work is designed for life.

Bill Tagland
Tagland Bespoke Architecture
3532 San Remo Terrace
Sarasota, FL 34239
(941) 993.5300
WTagland@gmail.com
www.WilliamTagland.com

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