Palm Beach, FL

This modern home, of 9000 square feet, is located in an affluent, waterfront community and fulfills the clients’ wish to achieve a sense of drama in the architecture and interiors; most importantly to capture the panoramic views.

The house emerged as two slender volumes that oriented themselves perpendicular to the primary viewing plane. A double height space connects these two parallel wings. The connecting volume acts as the entry in to the formal living room and dining room, featuring full height glass fenestrations, in both the front and the back. Walking through the front entry you are afforded with a view straight through the center of the home to the Atlantic Ocean. The transparency provides welcoming views of the ocean from almost every point within the space. In addition, it allows for a clear perception of the two wings, which appear to be slipping out towards the water, framing the landscape. The structure rests as an imposing white beacon on the shoreline.

A poured concrete structural system with cinder block infill provided a stable base for an exterior stucco finish. From a massing point of view, the house is seen as a manipulation of pristine white planes and volumes that are layered in an effort to blur the true confines of the house and create a larger sense of dwelling. The interior material selections sought to maintain a cool, light toned and low contrast extension of the exterior walls. These vertical surfaces were used as natural light reflectors, filling the house with soft ambient light. Materials, such as the sandy hued limestone of the central fireplace element, the dark metallic textures of the stair system and the Brazilian Mahogany floor combine with the bright white walls to present a balance between cool and warm surfaces, as well as a visually compelling architectural experience.