Built By Aqua-Link Pools and Spas. Engineered by Watershape Consulting Designed by Garden Studio Pictures By Leigh Ann Rowe Photography

Photo by Sundance® Spas

Riad Zasha: Middle Eastern Beauty at the Beach Private Residence / Alys Beach, Florida Architect: Khoury & Vogt Architects Builder: Alys Beach Construction --- “Riad Zasha resides in Alys Beach, a New Urbanist community along Scenic Highway 30-A in the Florida Panhandle,” says the design team at Khoury & Vogt Architects (KVA), the town architects of Alys Beach. “So named by the homeowner, who came with an explicit preference for something more exotic and Middle Eastern, the house evokes Moroccan and Egyptian influences spatially and decoratively while maintaining continuity with its surrounding architecture, all of which is tightly coded.” E. F. San Juan furnished Weather Shield impact-rated windows and doors, a mahogany impact-rated front door, and all of the custom exterior millwork, including shutters, screens, trim, handrails, and gates. The distinctive tower boasts indoor-outdoor “Florida room” living spaces caged in beautiful wooden mashrabiya grilles created by our team. The execution of this incredible home by the professionals at Alys Beach Construction and KVA resulted in a landmark residence for the town. Challenges: “Part of [the Alys Beach] coding, along with the master plan itself, dictated that a tower mark the corner of the lot,” says KVA. “Aligning this with the adjoining park to the south reinforces the axiality of each and locks the house into a greater urban whole.” The sheer amount of custom millwork created for this house made it a challenge, but a welcome one. The unique exterior called for wooden details everywhere, from the shutters to the handrails, mouldings and trim, roof decking, courtyard gates, ceiling panels for the Florida rooms, loggia screen panels, and more—but the tower was the standout element. The homeowners’ desire for Middle Eastern influences was met through the wooden mashrabiya (or moucharaby) oriel-style wooden latticework enclosing the third-story tower living space. Creating this focal point was some of our team’s most unique work to date, requiring the ultimate attention to detail, precision, and planning. The location close to the Gulf of Mexico also dictated that we partner with our friends at Weather Shield on the impact-rated exterior windows and doors, and their Lifeguard line was perfect for the job. The mahogany impact-rated front door also combines safety and security with beauty and style. Solution: Working closely with KVA and Alys Beach Construction on the timeline and planning for our custom wood products, windows, and doors was monumental to the success of this build. The amount of millwork produced meant our team had to carefully manage their time while ensuring we provided the highest quality of detail and work. The location south of Scenic Highway 30-A, steps from the beach, also meant deciding with KVA and Alys Beach Construction what materials should be used for the best possible production quality and looks while adhering to coding and standing the test of time in the harsh Gulfside elements such as high winds, humidity, and salt. The tower elements alone required the utmost care for building and installation. It was truly a test of skill for our team and Alys Beach Construction to create the corbels and other support pieces that would hold up the wooden oriel windows and latticework screens. We couldn’t be happier with the result and are genuinely honored to have been part of the talented team on such a cornerstone residence in the Alys Beach townscape. --- Photography courtesy of Alys Beach

Modern Spool with Water Wall flowing into fountain stair stepping down into the Spool. Flanked on both sides with Grand Effects fire bowls highlighted at night by LED lighting and shaded at day by a custom arbor. Designed by Mike Farley. FarleyPoolDesigns.com

The villas are part of a master plan conceived by Ferdinando Fagnola in the seventies, defined by semi-underground volumes in exposed concrete: geological objects attacked by green and natural elements. These units were not built as intended: they were domesticated and forced into the imagery of granite coverings and pastel colors, as in most coastal architecture of the tourist boom. We did restore the radical force of the original concept while introducing a new organization and spatial flow, and custom-designed interiors.

Matt Steeves

Twist Tours

Photo courtesy of BGD Architects. Honed concrete used as pool coping, surrounds and pathways.

Amaryllis is almost beyond description; the entire back of the home opens seamlessly to a gigantic covered entertainment lanai and can only be described as a visual testament to the indoor/outdoor aesthetic which is commonly a part of our designs. This home includes four bedrooms, six full bathrooms, and two half bathrooms. Additional features include a theatre room, a separate private spa room near the swimming pool, a very large open kitchen, family room, and dining spaces that coupled with a huge master suite with adjacent flex space. The bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs flank a large entertaining space which seamlessly flows out to the second floor lounge balcony terrace. Outdoor entertaining will not be a problem in this home since almost every room on the first floor opens to the lanai and swimming pool. 4,516 square feet of air conditioned space is enveloped in the total square footage of 6,417 under roof area.

Matt Steeves

Our International project of a home with a view! Outdoor living required for this warm climate in North America. Sunk in seating area, a vast deck with glass balconies and a large infinity pool at the heart of this outdoor space. The style of the pool and its tile colors are thoughtfully chosen as the client wished for the water of the pool to connect seamlessly with the ocean around sunset. Light beige sandy tiles slowly turn turquoise into infinity.