Miami Beach is located in Miami-Dade County, Florida and is bordered on the east by the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Miami Beach is world-famous for its long stretches of white sand beaches, world-renowned nightlife, classy art-deco districts and most importantly its extraordinary Miami homes or more appropriately stated-its Miami Beach luxury homes.
The city is host to an array of International cuisine, museums and art galleries. Miami Beach luxury homes are in close proximity to the city's arts, production and entertainment facilities, which add extra appeal to owning Miami Beach real estate properties.
The city’s tropical climate is a major influence in how people choose the designs of their Miami homes, and generally residents prefer to build homes with a tropical or Mediterranean flavor, which is well-suited for hot, tropical conditions.
Miami Homes Top Five Designs
Bungalow Style. Bungalows were the most popular style on Miami homes trough the 1930s. A large number of these simple homes were constructed from mail order house plans taken from catalogues such as Sears & Roebuck; however others were designed by distinguished local architects.
Bungalows were generally made of wood and were one to one and a half stories in height, with gable roofs; overhanging roof space called eaves and had front porches with large wood windows. Bungalows were constructed with good cross ventilation which was good for coastal conditions of South Florida.
Mediterranean Revival Style. The "style of choice" for Miami homes during the first major boom period in the city was a Mediterranean architectural style. Its Mediterranean resort architecture was a combination of Italian, Moorish, North African and Southern Spanish themes which was quite appropriate and appealing to the new Floridian seaside resort.
This Mediterranean style was also applied to Miami Beach hotels, Miami apartment buildings and commercial structures throughout the early 1930s.
This new style was recognized by stucco walls, low pitched terra cotta and historic Cuban tile roofs, arches and sometimes utilizing Spanish Baroque decorative motifs and Classical elements.
Post World War II Modern Style - Post War Modern. Miami Beach real estate properties during World War II mirrored many qualities of its companion style, Post War Deco, but still managed to acquire many characteristics of its own. Floor plans commonly constructed as double loaded corridors to "open air" verandas on one side or more. The roof plates typically overhung and floor slabs were projected using paired or clustered pipe columns to support them and symmetrical staircases became significant exterior design features.
Garden Style. The most noticeable and defining characteristic of the Garden Style homes in Miami Beach was the design of the entryway and public walkways which were are placed on the exterior and were open to the natural elements and surround a common garden area. The front entry was large, centrally located and lead to an open symmetrical staircase that ascending to the upper level or levels, and behind it the courtyard.
The Garden Style plan basically consists of two identical two to three story buildings sharing a central garden or courtyard, often with a fountain in the center and joined at the rear forming a “U” shape.
Modern Style. Modern industrial design began to have an even greater impact on new construction when "Art Deco" evolved on the Beach in the 1930s. The "streamline" characteristics of automobiles, airplanes, trains, buses and even home appliances inspired a powerful combination of horizontal design mixtures that were accentuated by remarkable vertical features and accented by icons of the technological era.
Constant race stripe banding, tower-like spires, portholes, and deck railings like those found on luxury ocean liners, were among the unique features that separated Miami Beach Art Deco buildings apart from anything before it. “Art Deco” was true to its beginning in Miami Beach as defined by its creative incorporation of nautical themes.
-- Contributor,
Eric Harari, for MLR Realty
