KZ ARCHITECTURE CREATES ARTIST’S STUDIO FOR SOUTH FLORIDA HOME

A spacious extension and exterior renovation that bring an existing home closer to its sub-tropical setting

Completed in 2011, Lakewood is a project by Miami-based firm KZ Architecture. The clients, a couple with three children, were seeking to add an artist’s studio to their one-storey box home in South Florida. The mother of the family is a painter, and she needed a streamlined work area with ample wall space and abundant natural light. In addition to the studio space, the family also wanted to renovate the home’s expansive but mostly disused exterior.

The architects seized the exterior renovation as an opportunity to reorganize the home’s (virtually non-existent) connections with the outdoor space. The addition of a covered terrace and BBQ area next to the pool creates a subtler transition between interior and exterior while also tying in the new pool-facing studio. Large windows also enhance the dialogue between interior and exterior as well as allowing for abundant light within the home.

The studio itself is located on the Northern edge of the property and encompasses a central workspace, an office and a bathroom. It seamlessly blends with the original home while seeming to float slightly above thanks to an elevating floor plate. A smaller covered terrace extends directly off of the studio, creating another vitally necessary link to the expansive garden beyond.