Project: Coconut Grove Treehouse

Architecture: TROPICA
Landscape Design: TROPICA 
Interior Design: TROPICA
GC: Prestige Builders
Landscape Installation: TROPICA 

Status: Built
Design: 2023
Build: 2024 

Location: Coconut Grove, Miami, FL

TEXT: This project is a renovation of a neglected home in Coconut Grove. This house presented a completely wooden plot- both a storyline and site condition that guided the architectural and interior design approach.

The entire facade was replaced and the interior of the home was gutted and redesigned in wood, inspired by the language of the residence’s timber structure. The entire ground floor, which is prone to flooding, was finished in completely water-proof materials.

The house was originally designed by an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright and was one of the foremost examples of South Florida Mid-Century “organic” architecture. The home was built completely of exposed wood construction but had become uninhabitable from disregard and termite damage.

Like The Swamp, this project was also slated for demolition as a non-conforming structure within a flood zone.

Once again, we were forced to file small, individual permits (for the windows, roof, plumbing, and so on), one at a time, to legally renovate and preserve this building. Additionally, the structural foundations and crawl space were reinforced, in order to provide more protection against floods and hurricane winds.

All wood which sustained termite damage was replaced with reclaimed lumber to match the precise specifications of the existing home. Wood that could be salvaged, but was damaged in other ways, was reused throughout the home, in the form of landscape elements and decking. 

The majority of the furniture used in the interior design was sourced locally, from thrift stores and antique sales. The narrative of wood materials was carried out through as many furniture pieces as possible. 

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