Palmetto HouseA house shaped by trees

Palmetto House is located in the Coconut Grove district of Miami, Florida. It is Miami’s oldest neighbourhood and has a laid-back and bohemian charm. Banyan trees, palms and live oaks line the quiet residential streets, where peacocks are seen roaming wild. Our client’s site embodies all these characteristics in microcosm, with an array of established sub-tropical plants present on the site. We wanted to ensure our design preserved and respected as many of the site’s mature trees as possible.

We have designed a home that is literally shaped by trees. The root ball radius and canopy spread has introduced arced courtyards to the plan and barrel-shaped roofs to the building section. As a result we have created a home that sits up-close to nature without disturbing it. Level one optimises the maximum building width and depth of the site (with the exception of the two arced courtyards), whilst level two features two separated vaulted volumes (one pushed toward the road and the other to the garden), that allows optimum space for the tree canopies to spread.

The separated vaulted volumes at level two form two ‘nests’ for our clients and their young family to grow-up in. The nests have two staircases so they may be accessed separately, but with an interconnecting door between them. This unique design has allowed for flexibility in the home’s use as the needs of the family change. In its current form, the children’s rooms are connected to the parents' Master Suite. When the children grow older, they will have their own nest to share, and the parents will gain greater privacy.

The rootball radius and canopy spread has introduced arced courtyards to the plan and barrel-shaped roofs to the building section.