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Architects: if studio
- Area: 3900 ft²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Michael Flores, Boutros Bounahra
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Lead Architects: Fadia Jawhari, Boutros Bounahra
Text description provided by the architects. Feeling the Concept (Light and Form) - In this architectural creation, form and light converge in a dance, where materiality transforms into poetry etched in stone, muted tones compose a silent symphony, and textured surfaces whisper secrets to fingertips. As daylight pirouettes through carefully placed openings, patterns shift across floors and walls, creating an ever-evolving sonnet of illumination. Here, volumes and planes find a harmonious balance of solid and void, inviting contemplation on the delicate interplay of light and form; a quiet ode to space.
Location Indoor and Outdoor - Located in Miami Beach, the residence embraces the understated charm of Miami's quieter moments where nature is a constant companion, the memory of the Art Deco movement lingers in subtle details, and silent luxury permeates its sun-soaked shores. Thoughtfully arranged volumes and planes intersect with curated lines of sight, creating a fluid experience that blurs the boundary between shelter and nature. At the same time, the design embodies the enchantment of a modest, small-scale home by stepping back from the street to harmonize with the neighborhood's scale and character.
Program Efficiencies - At its core, the residence blends expansive public areas with cozy, intimate retreats allowing a diverse array of uses such as a monumental kitchen island for both creation and connection and small nooks for studying. Programmatic efficiency and climate responsiveness are enhanced through the strategic organization of forms and spacial flow, with most windows facing north to protect interiors from Miami's intense sunlight while embracing gentle, diffused light.
Materiality - The facades introduce a playful integration of volumes and planes that bring continuity and familiarity. In select places, volumes are carefully carved away to foster moments of interaction with nature. One such carve-out forms a serene courtyard, where a Bridal Veil tree stands as a central element; a living sculpture that, like a delicate veil, filters light through its branches. This tree offers a soft interplay of light and shadow, infusing the space with a gentle atmosphere. Nearby, an adjoining terrace invites a quiet retreat behind a breezeblock wall, a classic Miami feature reintroduced for its practicality and aesthetic. The breezeblocks cast dappled light, provide shade, and enable cross-ventilation, embracing Miami's tropical climate in a thoughtful, purposeful design.
Conclusion Feeling The Concept - In every detail, this home celebrates the tropical splendor of Miami. Its spaces are a choreography of everyday life; efficient, graceful, and alive with beauty. Utility and aesthetics intertwine like palm fronds in the breeze, creating a place that honors the art of living in harmony with both crafted and natural forms. Here, architecture is an invitation to live well, attuned to nature's gifts and the rhythms of modern life.
