William Hamilton Arthur Architect, Inc.

Jun 2015

MIAMI MODERN ARCHITECTURE Coined a Parasol by former Miami Beach zoning director William F. Cary, this two-level residence on Sunset IV Island makes use of a large concrete canopy to shade the primary residence below. Designed as a speculation home on one of Miami Beachs most walkable locations. Within several minutes to grocers, shops and restaurants, the residence benefits from being located on a waterway that allows full-sized sailboats to reach the Ocean without lowering their masts. More frequently, the waterway is utilized by twilight paddle-boarders. The initial design strategy for the Parasol House came about during Professor Guy Petersons seminar at the University of Florida titled Florida Modern in 2009. For this project, I reexamined a case study of the course titled the Hiss Residence (Umbrella House) located in Sarasota, Florida. The Hiss Residence was designed by prominent mid-century architect Paul Rudolph in 1953. One of Rudolphs earliest and most successful works, the Umbrella House had became one of the major icons of mid-century residential architecture. Built prior to the incorporation of air conditioning, the north and south walls of the Umbrella House were constructed almost entirely of jalousies. The house and pool of the Umbrella House were shaded from the sun by a trellis structure, which dominated the design and earned the distinction of an Umbrella. The hovering concrete slab of the Parasol house works in a similar way by isolating the primary structure of the home from the suns heat. Large spans of operable glass panels at the Parasol House is an ode to the MiMo styling of Miami Beach and is an attempt to replicate the visual effect of the jalousies featured on the Umbrella House in an effort to provide floor-to-ceiling views of the exterior and a sense of ambiguity between the living space and exterior envelope. TYPOLOGY The large, 4,003SF parasol, or canopy acts to shade the primary residence by completely enveloping the living structure and isolating it from the suns rays. By reducing the amount of solar heat collected and acting as a thermal-isolator, the Parasol also reduces the water-carrying capacity of the air inside the living space; reducing loads imposed on air-conditioning. The Parasol house actually consists of 4 bedrooms, 5 baths, dining, great rooms and a large master suite that faces a gigantic 44ft-wide open-air loggia at the 2nd level rear. DESIGNED FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Because the energy needed to cool the house was greatly reduced, the Parasol House was permitted much larger window openings than typically found using todays prescriptive energy code method. The Parasol House employs the use of the latest insulated glass panel technology and are constructed using a special silicone glazing process. Two panes of this special glass are separated by Krypton or Xenon gas to further reduce heat transfer. These gasses are Noble gasses that are clear, odorless, relatively chemically inert and have about half the heat conductivity of the more commonly-used Argon gas. The construction of the Parasol house is considered unibodied the primary frame is constructed with heavy slabs and walls that work as a single unit to insulate and protect the Parasol house from wind-borne debris. There are no wooden trusses or fascias on the Parasol house. This reduces the homes property insurance risks and life-cycle costs. Without the wood elements that are commonly used on homes, the Parasol house is neither susceptible to insect attack or decay. Size: 7,078 sq ft (including covered balconies, loggias and carport). Builder: Seacoast Enterprises Group, Inc. (305) 233-9445 Engineering: Wilson Structural Consultants, Inc. (941) 907-4789 Cost: $150.46 per sq ft Construction costs were approximately $1,064,979 USD, equaling approximately $150.46 per square foot in 2014 dollars. This price does not include lighting or plumbing fixtures, furnishings or land costs (This compares on the low side with the mean cost of $215.23 for similar luxury residences constructed in 2014).

$1.1m

Miami Beach, FL

Jan 2013

INTRODUCTION The main concept for this 4,380 square-foot Shorecrest residence evolved around a 2-level stair atrium, open to the sky and flanked on all sides by the main living space and guest bedrooms. There is a privileged view too which organizes the building, that is the waterfront which organized the main living space in the house. Located in the Shorecrest neighborhood of Miami, the owner recognized three examples from Jan Hochstims 2005 Rizzoli publication titled Florida Modern. Jan, having recently passed away, was a friend and neighbor of my grandfather, to whom I dedicate the design of the house. The house follows simple design principals and features several large cantilevered surfaces intended to provide both presence and shading in a previously vacant lot. It was important to the owner that the home be both simple and iconic in nature, and reflects the vernacular to the South Florida environment as well. With the Shorecrest residence, I highlighted the ideals of mid-century thinking learned from the Florida Modern book, except using todays technology and materials. As the home is located among several Alfred Browning Parker Homes, we also used their presence to influence some of the homes design features. The most distinctive element of the Shorecrest residence is a 14ft reinforced concrete cantilever at the roof , hovering 25ft above. In between, a full-length, cantilevered balcony (10 projection x 53 wide) accessed from the main house by a large panoramic window system having (3) openings. When opened, the balcony creates an outdoor living space analogous to a loggia, absent of any columns. The rear elevation rendered a more intimate backyard space afforded by implementing aluminum privacy louvers and landscaping. This lower patio was designed to accommodate a future pool. Natural plantings were added during construction to increase the level of outdoor privacy. CONSTRUCTION The aluminum railing for the Shorecrest residence was custom designed, fabricated specifically for this residence in an exploration of how to reduce the amount of material and waste produced by traditional products. Even the method in which the railing is fastened to the structure, using epoxy grout, was an effort to reduce the overall number of fasteners used. The entry to the Shorecrest residence is through a two-level, open-air atrium at the rear, in which the floor plan is centered. Parking below the Shorecrest residence, occupants enter this home by ascending an open-riser stair turning back to a concealed door; a technique borrowed from the houses that I studied in Cuba from 2008-2011. DESIGNED FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Today the owner elects to keep the panorama window system open to allow the breezes to enter & cool the living space in lieu of air-conditioning. The images presented here were taken in early summer. The home functions so that even during summer months, the home is comfortable enough to keep the windows and doors open without the use of air-conditioning. This is mostly possible by raising the home above the heated ground surface & allowing the prevailing wind to flow both above & below the inhabitable floor. The construction of the Shorecrest residence is considered unibodied that is, the primary frame of the home is constructed with heavy slabs and walls that work as a single unit to insulate and protect the home from wind-borne debris. There are no wooden trusses or fascias used in this Miami Modern Residence. This technique works to reduce the homes property insurance risks, as well as further reduce energy consumption. Without wood, the home neither susceptible to insect attack or decay. Size: 4,380 sq ft (including covered balconies, loggias and 50% of the covered carport below). Builder: Seacoast Enterprises Group, Inc. (305) 233-9445 Cost: $162 per sq ft Construction costs were approximately $562,201 USD, equaling approximately $162 per square foot in 2011 dollars. This price does not include lighting or plumbing fixtures, furnishings or land costs (This compares on the low side with the mean cost of $215.23 for similar luxury residences constructed in 2011).

$650k

Miami, FL