Located in the Arts District of Miami Beach—nestled among the Miami City Ballet, the Bass Museum and the Miami Beach Library—our design acts as a gateway project, while contributing to the future growth of a regenerating neighborhood.

Spatial constraints required innovative planning to realize desirable living spaces and optimize our client’s return on investment. Rather than settle for a traditional multi-family building, we proposed two high-end townhouses, with a work–live format to capitalize on opportunities within an up-and-coming arts district.

Derived from the proportions and scale of the neighboring buildings—both heritage and modern—the structure is defined by the restrictions of an odd-shaped plot, bordered on one edge by one of the original canals of Miami Beach. The resulting building form is slim but wide, with the rear elevation positioned beside the water, while the front façade is more solid, picking up on contextual clues.

In reference to Miami’s art deco heritage and the local flora and fauna, abstracted patterns of flowers, dragonflies and sea grape have been laser-cut into aluminum screens on the façade. These are backlit at night, creating a work of art that also serves to conceal the garages.

The outcome is a lively, contextual project that creates quality spaces on a site other developers struggled to make work. And by building to the edges of the zoning envelope, reducing car parking requirements, and maximizing living and working spaces, we ensured an optimal return on our client’s development capital.