10/11/2026
Studio Stories: Reflections
Tasked with seamlessly combining three apartments into one, we relied on the building’s original as-built drawings to guide the process. However, during demolition, we encountered several unexpected site conditions that weren’t reflected in the 25-year-old plans. One in particular was an H-shaped water stack, nearly four feet wide, sitting right in the middle of the future living area.
The client’s brief was to create a space where the interior architecture, materials, and furniture would serve as a quiet backdrop for their impressive art collection. With the water stack interrupting an area intended to remain completely open, we saw an opportunity to turn an architectural obstacle into a sculptural feature.
Inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s use of chrome-clad columns in the Barcelona Pavilion, which visually dissolve into their surroundings through reflection, we wrapped the structure in mirror-polished stainless steel.
Rather than concealing the obstruction, we embraced it. The reflective surface captures the surrounding interiors and sweeping views of Biscayne Bay, allowing the structure to visually recede while becoming a sculptural element in its own right.
Project featured in Summer 2023 “A Perfect Union”
Photography:
General Contractor:
