Prado

This stunning 2-story home, set on a 1-acre lot within the lush, forested Coconut Grove, Fl., is beautifully connected to its natural environment. Conceived to view the outside and be part of the landscape, the composition relies on and enhances the pre-existing natural conditions of the site.

Integrating nature and the surroundings into the building was no small feat. Horizontal planes intersect with vertical planes so that the design looks natural and feels tranquil. The contrasting use of materials emphasizes this relationship. Supports made from locally quarried coral stone serve all the vertical elements and are employed to make an intimate connection to the site. Meanwhile, horizontal elements made of concrete seemingly spring from the supports to give the composition a sense of rest or repose.

The home’s L-shaped floor plan was dictated by the presence of aged oak trees on the lot. This shape enables the house to open up to an enclosed back yard where the lines between interior and exterior living spaces are purposefully blurred. This ambiguity is heightened by an expansive undercover outdoor entertainment area which maintains the connection to environment through the use of natural materials, for example in the wood ceiling.

The home exudes an air of privacy with a dense row of trees shielding the property from public view, offering only fleeting glimpses of its presence as one approaches. On ascending the driveway towards the property, it is immediately apparent that the building doesn’t have a clear front or rear façade. Instead, visitors are guided along a lengthy pathway with suspended concrete steps floating above a serene water feature that leads them to the home’s entrance. This beautiful walkway is bordered by a lush garden landscape which hides a garden ‘grotto’ adding charm to the layout of the back yard and affording residents the opportunity for more meditative or contemplative moments.