Project: Tent House and Garden

Architecture: TROPICA
Landscape Design: TROPICA 
Landscape Consultant: Lo Lands
Interior Design: Lina Hargrett 
GC: Hammer Construction
Landscape Installation: Overland

Status: Built
Design: 2023
Build: 2024 

Location: Pinecrest, Miami, FL

TEXT: The Tent House and Garden is our office’s most radical exercise in allowing the landscape to determine our architectural approach.

Before any architectural designs were prepared, we planned the landscape design and pathways through the ancient oak forest which had been overtaken by invasive plants. Through a Design-Build and extensive removal process, the oaks were revealed and a series of curving pathways laid out. Only then, was the architecture approached.

Both the qualities of the oak bark, and the geometry of the pathways were instrumental in the architectural approach to this structure.

Inspired by the fantastical garden tents of history and myth, the Pool House will be used by the family as a garden retreat. The building gently touches the ground and will be characterized by a light roof, held in tension between two rooms. The Dog-Trot house typology provides an additional reference — a central open space provides shade and ventilation, on axis with the pool, to enjoy the warm climate.

In a climate constantly affected by hurricanes, this project is an additional study in how to create new facade material expression, and structural systems, in our heavily regulated municipality.  

Unfortunately, while wood is a material often used in vernacular architecture, because of new weather-related codes, it is extremely difficult to construct with a fully wood structural system. However, on such a wooded site, we hoped to use a material that would fade into the forest, while also resisting hurricane winds. Using an integrated-color, board form concrete provided us with a way to challenge local building regulations, from both a material and structural standpoint.

The project is especially unique because the large majority of the space is actually shaded exterior space.

We were interested in creating a tent -- a form that has the spirit of being outside... for enjoying the land and earth...

Images: