Casa Orquidea

Miami, FL, United States

Add To Collection

Casa Orquidea

Miami, FL, United States

Firm

YEAR

2010

THIS DRAMATIC SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE IS LOCATED IN CENTRAL COCONUT GROVE, FLORIDA, ON PROPERTY ZONED FOR MULTI-FAMILY USE. THIS LOCATION REINFORCES THE OWNER’S CONVICTIONS ABOUT LIVING A MORE SUSTAINABLE WAY OF LIFE, IN A DESIGN SOLUTION THAT WILL MEET THIS YOUNG COUPLE’S NEEDS FOR YEARS TO COME.SURROUNDED BY TALL AND ORDINARY STRUCTURES ON THREE SIDES, THIS SMALL (55 FT. WIDE BY 150 FT DEEP) LOT CHALLENGED THE DESIGN SOLUTION TO ACHIEVE THE DICHOTOMY OF OPENNESS AND PRIVACY, OUTDOORS AND SECLUSION. THIS, WHILE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CLIMATIC BENEFITS DUE TO ORIENTATION, PREVAILING BREEZES AND CONTROLLED VISTAS, IS WRAPPED IN A MINIMALIST COMPOSITION OF CONCRETE AND STEEL.IN ACHIEVING THESE DUAL VALUES, THE DESIGN IS ORGANIZED IN THREE LEVELS; THE BASEMENT LEVEL HOUSES VEHICLES AND OTHER SUPPORT AREAS; THE MAIN LEVEL FACES THE STREET WITH THE OFFICE/STUDIO AS THE FRONTISPIECE OF THE COMPOSITION, BUFFERING THE GREAT ROOM AT THE REAR, BY THE VERTICAL CIRCULATION ELEMENT; THE UPPER LEVEL, THE GUEST SUITE AND LAUNDRY ROOM TAKE THEIR PLACE OVER THE OFFICE/STUDIO, ALLOWING THE PRIVATE BEDROOM SPACES TO OCCUPY THE REAR, MORE SECLUDED AREAS. AT THE MAIN LEVEL THE “GREAT ROOM” BLURS THE EDGES BETWEEN KITCHEN, DINING AND LIVING ROOM AREAS, LINKED BY THE LINEAR CIRCULATION SPINE THAT VISUALLY CONCLUDES AT THE POOL AND EXERCISE ROOM BEYOND.THE ORCHID “ROOM”, AN UNIQUE TWO STORY OUTDOOR VOLUME (INTERRUPTED BY A BALCONY, PROJECTING AS AN “ARCHITECTURAL” ORCHID) ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, PROVIDES A BACKDROP SHOWCASING THE OWNER’S ORCHID COLLECTION THAT, WHEN FILLED, WILL VISUALLY SHIELD OCCUPANTS FROM ITS TWO STORY NEIGHBOR. THE ORCHID ROOM STRUCTURE, WRAPPED IN A METAL “GRILL”, IS TILTED 5.2 DEGREES TOWARDS THE SOUTH IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE OPTIMAL ROOF SLOPE FOR THE PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM THAT, WHILE ACTING AS A SHADING DEVICE FOR THE ORCHID ROOM, GENERATES AROUND 15,000 WATTS PER DAY OF ELECTRICITY, A REDUCTION OF AROUND 25% OF ELECTRIC POWER COMSUMPTION. IN CASA ORQUIDEA, THE EXCITEMENT OF ASYMMETRY IS TEMPERED BY A CALM AND BALANCE ACHIEVED THROUGH DESIGN, SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES AND CAREFUL ORGANIZATION, RESULTING IN A HOUSE FOR SOLITUDE OR CELEBRATION, INSIDE AND OUT.