Glass Cube House

Miami, Florida | design 2017

A mirrored cube floats alongside a sprawling prewar mansion reflecting the architecture of the Miami Beach home, the rich texture of two ancient Live Oaks, and the blue bay and the surrounding sky in its reflective skin. Sited partly over the home, nestling between and under the oaks, the cube explores the idea of sleeping in a bird’s nest. Inside, the Spartan space includes a bed, bookshelves, and a concealed refrigerator; the focus is outward, towards the views. Structured on a steel platform over a single trunk-like column, the cube’s superstructure notably uses glass both as skin and as structure. The mirrored cube proposes a borrowed physiognomy, reflecting its surroundings in a bright and shimmering way.

The cube exploits the inherent contrasts between traditional and modern types of construction. It generates other interventions around the house, including a new kitchen, clad in glass brick, and a garage, clad in metal. The three cubes are a layered addition to the fabric of the existing architecture, which is preserved as the central experience of the home. The tight weaving of programming and tectonics take an experimental approach to renovation and expansion, while providing new environments for the inhabitants.