The Coconut Grove Gatehouse is a fitting invitation into a lush Miami home
The Coconut Grove Gatehouse by Rene Gonzalez greets visitors into a lush Miami home through textured materials and lightness
The Coconut Grove Gatehouse by Rene Gonzalez was conceived as a structure that would not only act as a home for services relating to entering a residential estate in Florida's much-loved neighbourhood facing Biscayne Bay – but one that would also signal entrance to the site, and serve as a beautiful, textured pavilion that blends well within its tropical surroundings. The result does all that and more, designed as a host for security, reception and the management of concierge logistics for the property’s multiple residents, but ultimately becoming the gatehouse for a private Miami house beyond, following the land's sale and acquisition by a single owner and resident.
The Coconut Grove Gatehouse by Rene Gonzalez
The Coconut Grove Gatehouse was crafted as a light, tactile structure, placed among rich foliage of the outstanding natural site it sits on. Miami-based architect Gonzalez and his team at RGA (Rene Gonzalez Architects) plotted the design across 1,300 sq ft. The composition comprises the property's entry wall, gatehouse and concierge pavilion, which ‘are designed specifically to both disappear and yet still retain a stately presence within the landscape’, explain the team.
The architects worked closely with the landscape specialist developing the site's gardens, Raymond Jungles, making sure the structure 'intertwines effortlessly into the lush tropical foliage'. Cladding in silver travertine and rusted Cor-ten steel lends textures that invite the touch and feel harmonious within the greenery.
'The Cor-ten steel defines each programmatic space,' the architects write. 'The use of vertical Cor-ten steel louvres creates a continuous relationship between all elements and allows the façade to become an integral part of the landscape. The silver travertine stone walls encapsulate the various elements of the entry feature. The imaginative combination of these disparate elements provides for lasting impressions of commanding protection and integrated connection within the natural beauty of South Florida.'
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
A new limited-edition Rhodes piano and Gibson doubleneck guitar aim for the stars
The new Rhodes Mk8 Earth Edition piano and Gibson Jimmy Page EDS-1275 Doubleneck guitar revisit classic instruments at a price
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The new interior design trends we spotted at Salone del Mobile 2024
These are the interior design trends to look out for in 2024 and beyond, from soft upholstery to conversation pits and low dining
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Tiffany & Co nods to its theatrical history with a surreal new campaign
Tiffany & Co campaign ‘With Love, Since 1837’ sees Dan Tobin Smith and set designer Rachel Thomas create an offbeat set
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Shigeru Ban’s mini Paper Log House welcomed at The Glass House
'Shigeru Ban: The Paper Log House' is shown at The Glass House in New Canaan, USA as the house museum of American architect Philip Johnson plays host to the Japanese architect’s model temporary home concept
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
Ray Phoenix to rise in Arizona
Ray Phoenix housing project launches, designed by Johnston Marklee, who worked with Lamar Johnson Collaborative, for property experts Ray and Vela
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A low-energy farmhouse provides a rural escape in North Carolina
This low-energy farmhouse is a net zero architectural re-set for a Californian client, an East Coast relocation for a more engaged and low-key lifestyle
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
A Petra Island house rises from Frank Lloyd Wright's original drawings
Based on Frank Lloyd Wright drawings, the cantilevering Petra Island Massaro House, located in New York’s Hudson Valley, is now open to visitors
By Craig Kellogg Published
-
An Upper West Side apartment by General Assembly nods to its history
An Upper West Side apartment in New York, born out of the reimagining of two neighbouring units, is refreshed by General Assembly for a young family
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
New York's Leica store echoes the brand's blend of heritage and innovation
Leica store throws open its doors in New York's Meatpacking District, courtesy of Brooklyn based Format Architecture Office
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
Hudson Valley Residence is a low-lying retreat that seamlessly blends into the horizon
Designed by HGX Design, Hudson Valley Residence is a scenic home offering unobstructed views across the Catskill Mountains in Upstate New York
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Boise Passive House’s bold gestures support an environmentally friendly design
Boise Passive House by Haas Architecture combines sleek, contemporary design and environmental efficiency
By Ellie Stathaki Published