Built Work Images:

Before and After Images:

Key Largo, Florida (2002-2004)

Most buildings in coatal Florida are required to be elevated to a certain height above sea level.  Creating gardens for elevated buildings calsl for a proficiency uncommon in other parrts of the country.  For this winter residence at the Ocean Reef Club, the house had to be raised ten feet above the existing grade.  Planting restrictions in the eighteen-foot side yards, established to preserve the neighboring houses’ water views, created another set of obstacles.

The client, a nature enthusiast, had grown up in nearby Coconut Grove and wanted his garden to blend the Everglades and the coast while providing for his two favorite hobbies; bird-watching and kayaking.  Our objectives were to construct a natural habitat and wildlife refuge and to ensure the homeowner’s privacy within the sterile, suburban neighborhood.

We first sugested adding a veneer of local oolite limestone to the exterior of the building to connect house and land.  In lieu of the ubiquitous circular driveway, an entrace path weaves from the street through dense indigenous vegetation over Florida’s keystone slabs.  A vine-covered wooden trellis atop outsized stone columns extends from the front door to the landing at the base of the entry steps, softening the building’s mass.

On the water side, the elevated pool area is integrated with the garden to unify building and land.  Mature palm trees in recessed planters set flush with the deck add to the illusion that the house is grounded; the boundary between the pool and the Atlantic is blurred with an infinity edge.  An immense fire bowl seems to float in the pool and adds drama to the black void of the nighttime view.

The bold columns and vine pergola at the entry are repeated on the ocean side.  Keystone slabs, which appear to float in a water garden, connect the guest room to the pergola.  Outside the kitchen, a cozy covered pavilion overlooks the pool and the ocean beyond; it is the perfect place to watch the sunrise with cofee in hand.  Wooden stairs, articulated with a lounge and view platform midway, extend to the garden below. Oolite monoliths, some carved into planters, terrace down the back of the pool deck for a gradual passage to the garden path and kayak launch site.  Enveloped in mature trees, indigenous plants, and local stone, the house peeks out from what seems to be natural woodland and provides a sanctuary from which the family can enjoy both nature and the sea.