It’s not unusual these days to see a 1,960-square-foot townhouse with a little private outdoor space. But it is unusual to see one in which half of the rooms in the plan (yes, half) are open air.
Resting on a footprint measuring just 36 feet by 80 feet, the townhouse pulls off the seemingly impossible with a zero lot-line configuration that reallocates precious yard space in an introverted way. All of the home’s public rooms open to an oasis in the heart of the plan, but unlike your typical courtyard, this one isn’t just a doughnut hole punched in the middle of the building. It’s a delicately layered sequence of Spanish-style covered loggias, galleries, and patios, intertwined to create keyhole views.
Oriented along two axes, each intimate space has its own distinct flavor and natural light gradation. From the street, 11-foot wooden doors open to a zaguan (open air entry hall) that is intentionally dark in contrast to the sun-drenched courtyard and plunge pool beyond. A covered gallery paralleling the kitchen, living, and dining areas is roofed in cedar purlins with a woven cane awning to filter light for a dappled effect. The gallery culminates in a 13-foot-tall, shaded alcove, which overlooks the pool through an Andalusian archway.
In this alfresco retreat, landscaping takes on a role as important as fixtures and finishes inside the house. The joints between Dominican shellstone pavers are planted with Dichondra to create a mossy carpet, while additional plantings of horsetail, climbing English ivy, and Japanese red maple provide complementary textures to beach pebbles, whitewashed walls, and Moorish tile work.
MERIT
Category: Townhouse unit, less than 2,000 square feet
Entrant/Architect/Interior designer/Landscape architect: Khoury & Vogt Architects, Alys Beach, Fla.
Builder: Wave Construction, Rosemary Beach, Fla.
Developer: EBSCO Gulf Coast Development, Panama City Beach, Fla.
Land planner: DPZ Architects and Town Planners, Miami
Learn more about markets featured in this article: Miami, FL.
