Ilonabay

Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Photo © Ken Hayden, www.kenhayden.com

Photo © Laziz Hamani

Architects: Oppenheim Architecture + Design

Participating as an amplifier and filter of its life-urban context, the building simultaneously expresses multiple personalities through dynamic manipulations of scale, and massing. The collation of solid and void to perceptional iconography is evident in the programmatic distribution of spaces. Eight, 4 story town homes are entered from street level and relate to the pedestrian in scale and restraint-while a 3 story penthouse addresses the bay and downtown Miami skyline with tremendous structural prowess. The meshed result of these various components is expressed through the orchestration of glass, plastered concrete, and aluminum. The fused entity is devoid of recognizable typological references and yet harmoniously blends with its neighbors. Aromatic gardens surround the property, providing a synergy with the dynamic forms of the architecture. The display and situating of water is essential to the essence of the building. A private rooftop pool cantilevers from the face of the structure disappearing into the bay. A communal pool is formed by a depression in the ground and the buildings face. All aspects of this project are intended to induce maximum pleasure.