VOA

Passionate art lovers, the owners of this condominium couldn't imagine displaying their cherished art collection in the existing space. Built in the mid-90s, the interior spaces showed numerous awkward angled walls, useless shelves created by partial height walls, and a heavy stair structure that encumbered the flow of the linear floor plan. The Owners desired to create a warm and comfortable environment reflecting their love of family and friends, enhanced by the art they had collected.

With purity of form and materials as a required aesthetic, the conceptual idea for this project evolved in the direction that their art collection needed to be contained in a simple but elegant receptacle. As many ancient cultures have done in the past with their most valuable treasures such as food, perfume, or jewelry, the purpose of this container is to display but also protect the Owners’ collection, thus creating a Vessel of Art (VOA).

The existing volume was simplified, purifying the form by eliminating the angled walls and extending the partial height walls to the ceilings, creating larger wall surfaces for art display. The existing grounded stair was replaced with a light cantilevered steel stair with a glass railing that seems to float in space. In addition, the purity of materials resulted from using simple but honest elements. White surfaces create a uniform backdrop for the art, light wood paneling warms the space and separates one surface from another, and glass doors and railings allow light to flow from room to room. Floating steel treads create the illusion that the stair defies gravity, becoming an art piece.

Location:
Longboat Key, Florida

Status:
Completed, 2018

Awards:
2021 | SRQ Magazine Home of the Year Platinum Award for Best Remodel | Renovation
2020 | AIA Florida Gulf Coast Merit Award for Renovations and Additions
2019 | AIA Florida/Caribbean Merit Award of Excellence for Renovations and Additions

Photography:
© 2018 | Ryan Gamma