NAPLES MODERN?

As modern architectural design spreads like a heatwave across Miami and Fort Lauderdale—and has simmered on high in Sarasota for 80 years—Naples has taken a wait-and-see approach to embracing the style. If you look hard enough, you can find mid-century gems that have dodged the wrecking ball, such as the highly visible Hedges Family Eco-Center at Naples Preserve. More recently, Richard Meier’s groundbreaking estate with a dramatic butterfly roof in Port Royal caused an uproar in the upscale enclave when it was built 25 years ago. But as flamboyantly ornate Mediterranean manses—the dominant juggernaut for two decades—fade into the past, Naples’ collective taste is still evolving. Today’s designers and homeowners informally call Naples’ prevalent style “coastal contemporary” or “transitional.” Residential and commercial buildings, inside and out, are embracing simplicity in…