Size: 16,980 square feet
Type: Single-Family Residential Renovation, Interior & Landscape Design
Location: Key Biscayne, Florida
Not built
A four-story residence forgotten by its original architect had lost all its design poetry as the construction was developed without his guidance. We elaborated a design strategy based on a linear pattern that informed almost every building element and space, from the place of arrival to the most intimate corner. The first-floor exterior wall was cladded on stone to provide a strong visual foundation to the floors above and control the building scale. The same material clads a hanging stair that works its way up to a roof terrace and becomes the residence’s vertical circulation spine. A linear water feature shaped by a low wall and bench, which separate the common outdoor spaces from the private, forms the pedestrian entry with the help of a wooden trellis. The trellis was attached to the low wall to protect visitors from the scorching South Florida sun as they follow the water to the base of the hanging stair. The wooden trellis reappears many times again on the building’s facades, sometimes in the shape of shading devices that provide shelter to outdoor terraces and windows, sometimes in the shape of pivoting doors or lacy railings. An extensive lawn and large lap pool were placed along three outdoor rooms, providing plenty of space for children and adults to gather and play, while complying with flood code requirements. Groups of tall vertical palms and trees were placed in the front and side yards to give shade and contrast the building’s horizontality.
Interior, Exterior and Landscape Design: Mauricio Del Valle Design in collaboration with Collaborative Independent
Sketching: Mauricio Del Valle Design
Rendering: Render Solutions