From Hum Drum to Wow

Before

One of my recent renos of a residential building had me updating the upper and lower lobbies and the administration offices of two sister buildings. Originally equipped with little to no seating, tired finishes and dull lighting I decided to keep things neutral and focused on natural elements. The terrazzo floor in the upper lobbies were in perfect condition and were to remain, so I used that as my jumping off point and created warm neutrals in the space.

The lower lobby/ mailroom sometimes doubles as a party area, so flexible seating was added along with custom cabinetry, for easier maintenance. It needed to be a little more utilitarian, since it is used as a pass-through for underground parking, however it has the same elegance as the upper lobby. The feel walking through now is much more inviting. 

Lower lobby / mail room 

More of Miami

Here are just a few of the other sites that were jammed into my Miami schedule.

The newly opened (December 2013) Pérez Art Museum Miami was designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the same Swiss firm that created the "House of Cards" parking garage which is cited for its architectural bravado.
 

Their design for the museum includes a library, an auditorium, classrooms, art and digital media workshop spaces, and a café. The entire structure sits on an elevated platform below a canopy, both of which extend far beyond the museum's walls, creating a shaded veranda and plazas.

Surprisingly, Ai Weiwei: According to What? was in exhibition - it was a treat to see it again - it featured all the pieces that were exhibited in Toronto in 2013, with the exception of Bowls of Pearls, two giant porcelain bowls filled with freshwater pearls - it was well guarded. 



Pedestrian Entrance to PMAM: Reminiscent of Antoni Gaudi's Serpentine Bench Twists



I also toured the grounds of Vizcaya, the estate home of John Deering, of the farm equipment legacy. 
The home was constructed from 1910 to 1916 with additional building until 1922. The Villa Vizcaya is distinguished for its Italian Renaissance inspired Mediterranean Revival architecture, its huge Italian Renaissance revival gardens, and sumptuously designed interior architecture not to mention all of the art pieces housed within - it is the closest thing to Italy, in North America.



A peaceful retreat away from the main house





A breakfront created to welcome visiting boats