Confronted with two lots straddling a post-war apartment building, our concept for new building forms emerged from a process of contextual sampling of the surrounding urban fabric. Strict historic preservation and zoning rules added additional layers of complexity, as did the need to maximize the saleable area and keep unit-parking correlations in check.

Our solution wraps two new five-story condominiums around the existing two-story historic building, creating a landscaped pool courtyard on the roof of the original. With panoramic views of South Beach, this terrace creates a shared space for residents, placing the original structure at the heart of the community.

Aluminum screens envelope the new forms—a veil and filter for sun and privacy, and an abstract allusion to the historic architecture of the district. A textured, keystone base contrasts with the precision of the mostly glass, aluminum, and stucco building‑—the materiality of the project adapting and transforming according to the spatial orientation and use.

Inside, 40 double-height units are configured to provide open-plan living with two exterior walls for an abundance of light and air. Clarity in plan and section realizes spatial efficiencies that permit internal, open-air boulevards with generous areas for social interaction.

A dramatic main entry is subtly sequenced from the old building to the new. Here, a curving ramp leads to a lobby in which glass elevators pierce a glass ceiling, providing an interstitial zone that organizes the project visually and spatially.