As a newlywed couple, their first decision was to build they’re home. They dreamed of a new start in Miami without leaving behind their Mexican roots. The house they bought needed an uplift especially to the exterior and pool area. Being a corner lot, they had difficulty creating a more private space for the pool. Then the more serious problem was making it a safe pool area considering there was no backyard, only space in the front to deal with. The 1950 Florida House had a special feature: a nice concrete cover in mosaics frame to the main entry door of the house.

            Our objective was to create a relaxing pool area with the desire to enhance the sense of place, to honor their roots, and to embrace safety and restraint. Similarly, we wanted to develop a safe environment for the kids to play and enjoy with friends. This was very important for us to create memorable experiences for the kids to remember in the future.

            Our solution was a simple one. Create a privacy wall to define an enclosed and private area for the pool. The wall is then used as a façade for the house, maintaining the concrete mosaic gate and interestingly mingling it with the proposed wall. The compound wall is connected with a pergola and a loggia that is organized around a central courtyard. Thus, providing a private and protected natural space. The earthy-tone wall with a delicate window is carefully placed to take advantage of the select views while shielding and protecting from the harsh sun. Meanwhile, in the interior we cleaned up, opened the space and added some color. The bright blues and yellows are the colors chosen to replace the once white walls, symbolic of their Mexican culture. Little niches to position art and primitive pieces make the house a unique space that celebrates this heritage.

            The idea of less is more is clearly developed in the placement of a single wall that delivers the space they needed to enjoy their new house. Traditional elements found in Mexican houses like columns, a portico, spatial arrangement and an emphasis on the entry, were reinterpreted to subtly connect the spaces. The use of poured concrete columns and long walls make visual connections with but also physically separate from the outside busy street. All these easy and uncomplicated elements give the client all the elements to fit their new needs.

            The house took a different character, outside and inside. The colors and the details transformed the space with actually very little changes. The upgrade to house was made with a single move: position a privacy wall and the use of colors. The columns were even used as poles for the newly placed hammocks. This resulted in a project with small budget, but with a large outcome.