Miami Beach, Florida

A restrained modernist house on one of Miami Beach’s most established streets: two board-formed concrete volumes that have been cut away to reveal wood materiality, pushed and pulled over a matching wood plinth base at the street elevation.

A flood-resilient design, with the garage stacked below the living floors above. The house reduces its footprint on the lot, which opens the site to larger landscape opportunities, more exterior space and a deeper pool deck at the rear of the property.

Location

North Bay Road follows the western shore of Miami Beach along Biscayne Bay, a residential street of large lots, mature trees and water views. The house sits on the bay side of the island, minutes from the beach to the east and the causeways to Miami to the west.

Southwest street perspective

Garden

Lifting and stacking the house returns most of the lot to the outdoors. The rear is a sequence of raised terrace, planted edges and a 39-foot pool, held between the house and a dense native garden of gumbo limbo, sea grape, Simpson stopper and palms. Enclosed on every side, it is a private, quiet place that feels far larger than the lot.

Terrace

The primary level and Great Room open to the terrace through full-height sliding walls so that the rooms read as continuous with the pool deck. Planters are built into the concrete steps between the levels.

Pool Edge

The living room looks directly onto the pool, and the planting is brought right up to the glass so that the view is of foliage rather than a fence. The walnut soffit, the board formed concrete, the slatted screen above are the same three elements seen from the street.

Interior

The living room is a double-height space overlooking the pool, with one entire elevation given over to custom walnut millwork and cabinetry. Vein-cut Italian travertine runs through the main floor, with white oak in the bedrooms and stone in the kitchen and baths.

Materials and Systems

The specifications are all thoughtfully selected and detailed.

Credits

Site

Entry and garage are tucked beneath the raised volume. Everything behind it is garden: terrace, lap pool and dense planting on three sides creating an intimate exterior space.