Piero Lissoni

Photo Credit: Studio Lissoni Associati

Located at 6800 Indian Creek Drive, Monaco Yacht Club & Residences is an exclusive enclave of thirty-nine luxurious waterfront residences and a private marina in collaboration with two of the most esteemed names in design, Piero Lissoni and Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica. It is slated for completion in Fall 2021.

HR: What was the design inspiration for Monaco Yacht Club & Residences’ interiors?

PL: In part, we were inspired by Mediterranean environments, particularly the Italian Riviera and the Côte d’Azur, and in part by the nautical world, especially by the Riva Aquarama boat. From the realization of the lobby floor as if it were the deck of a boat, to the choice of the chandelier that recalls a lobster net, to the nautical styling, everything is reminiscent of a yacht club.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Monaco Yacht Club & Residences

HR: What colors and materials did you incorporate into the design in order to capture the South of France and the Mediterranean lifestyle?

PL: We were inspired by the nautical world of the 1950s. We used chrome, natural fabrics, soft and neutral colors with some dashes of stronger color. The Riva Aquarama is also renowned for this contrast between the wood and the light blue cushions. The reception desk is instead a deep-sea blue.

The apartments have two different typologies in terms of the “shades” employed. One version features soft and muted colors that are evocative of morning sea mists, with light, desaturated wood and some darker colors to provide contrast, while the second version features darker colors inspired by the night sea, the contrast here given by areas of white.

HR: Walk us through the design features that you are incorporating throughout MYC’s residences, including in the kitchen and bathrooms. What was the vision for the design, and what can residents expect to feel and see upon walking into their homes?

PL: We wanted to reproduce the feeling of being on a boat, both when entering on the ground floor, with the jetty that connects directly to the yachts, and also inside the apartments, with their magnificent views of the sea. The extensive use of large windows seeks to accentuate the relationship between the inside and the outside, as if you’re always living in the open air. In addition, the terraces are equipped with cooking facilities, further expanding the possibilities of life outdoors.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Monaco Yacht Club & Residences

HR: How did you go about choosing each design and what makes them different from other residences you have designed for?

PL: Undoubtedly the floor in the reception, conceived as if it were the deck of luxury yacht, is fairly unique, as is the large chandelier reminiscent of a lobster net, which was the work of an artist we engaged. In the apartments themselves, there is this continuous dialogue between the inside and the outside, which is very special: as soon as you open the window, you have the whole expanse of the sea in front of you.

HR: Elaborate on your design of MYC’s lobby and “Resident’s Lounge” that features a library and breakfast bar for waterfront dining. How does the design reflect the building’s fun lifestyle and laid-back environment?

PL: Our aim was to realize a community, a true yacht club, so the communal spaces have been conceived with this in mind and to allow the whole structure and all the facilities to be used and lived, also by invited guests. The inhabitants and their guests can, for example, pause to read the newspaper or have a coffee in the communal areas. Also, here we wanted to bring a European way of living.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Monaco Yacht Club & Residences

HR: Please briefly describe what role the Bayfront location played in the design of the project. How will the building’s design reflect Miami and its natural surroundings?

PL: The Bayfront relates directly with the structure. Features such as the floor or the model boats on the bookshelves, as if it were indeed a yacht club, are certainly elements that are special with respect to other residences.

HR: What type of lifestyle do you envision for residents at MYC?  What type of buyer do you envision will be interested in living at the property?

PL: Without a doubt, Monaco Yacht Club & Residences will attract buyers who love traveling and who are attracted by a European atmosphere, especially that of the Mediterranean, who like the leisurely feeling of a place where you have the sensation of being on holiday all year round.

HR: Tell us about your collaboration with Arquitectonica. How did you work with Arquitectonica to blend your ways of thinking, expertise and experiences together?

PL: There’s a very close relationship between the inside and the outside: in some ways the interior completes the architecture, and vice-versa.

HR: What is special or different about working on a project like MYC?

PL: The really special thing was to have been able to bring to America a particular area of Europe and its atmosphere.

For more information about Monaco Yacht Club & Residences, call 305.508.9832 or visit https://monacoyachtclubresidences.com/.

Monaco Yacht Club & Residences

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Monaco Yacht Club & Residences

The post Interior Designer Piero Lissoni Talks Monaco Yacht Club & Residences And Bringing The French Riviera To South Florida appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

We sat down with Bernardo Fort-Brescia, founding principal of the award-winning international architecture firm, Arquitectonica, to learn more about his design inspiration for the nautically-themed, boutique Bayfront condominium.

Bernardo Fort-Brescia, FAIA, Arquitectonica

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Arquitectonica

At just 12 stories, how did the boutique nature of Monaco Yacht Club & Residences inspire your design?

The scale of the building lends itself to a more exclusive and private living experience. It allowed us to offer discreet arrival to the units, fewer residents per floor, and proximity to the water.

Did it present any unique challenges or opportunities?

The challenge is always how to ensure all units face the water. That is the greatest asset south Florida offers. The broad frontage and favorable ratio of width to depth of the site allow the building to be situated parallel to the water's edge that provides an opportunity for increased sightlines of the dramatic widening of the Intracoastal Waterway offering expansive views of a lagoon-like setting.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Monaco Yacht Club & Residences

From vision and concept, can you describe your design process from the beginning?

We begin always seeking the perfect layouts. We think of the eventual user and the lifestyle expected of an urban resort like Miami Beach. If I had to define the feel it is best described as relaxed luxury. Another aspect is the connection with nature the spaces needed to flow to the terraces. Because of the amazing weather in Florida, exterior living is an important part of the living experience. Outdoor living is key to relaxed luxury.

What was your design aesthetic for Monaco Yacht Club & Residences?

We thought the architecture had to have a nautical feeling. We wanted the residents to feel that they were on a luxury yacht because due to the proximity to the water one may not see land from an interior vantage point. Therefore, the idea of a yacht club emerged.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Monaco Yacht Club & Residences

Where did you draw your design inspiration from?

I have always liked the coastal towns of the Italian Riviera and the sleek romantic designs of the yachts cruising the waterways. Yacht design has an aerodynamic aspect combined with warmth and elegance. This led us to combine white sweeping lines and warm tones that are reminiscent of the finest Italian yachts.

How did you adapt your design philosophy to the project?

Every project is unique to its place, purpose and scale. This project is unique and its low-slung proportions, fluid horizontal lines, soft curved geometries resulted in a design fitting to the time and place. It still falls within our brand of waterfront modernity, but with a twist that makes it fitting for the personality of the program and place.

Now let’s talk about the role that Monaco Yacht Club & Residences’ location in Miami Beach’s coveted MiMo District played on the building design.

How will the building’s design reflect Miami and North Beach?

Miami Beach is a 20th-century resort. Its architecture is decidedly modern and referential to the principles of the early modern masters. Many of its buildings are also inspired in naval architecture and this building continues that tradition, but in a more contemporary way, with more glass, larger terraces, and more organic fluidity of its curves rather than more traditional rigid geometries.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Monaco Yacht Club & Residences

Are there any design features unique to Miami that were incorporated?

The outdoors identifies Miami’s brand. This building takes that branding seriously by using the roof as a pool deck. That ensures exposure to the sun, the ocean breezes, and long-distance views from a very special vantage point. There is nothing more romantic than panoramic sunset views of the intercoastal and downtown Miami beyond.

How does the architecture reflect the building’s natural surroundings and blend of the outdoors with the interior living?

One of the important aspects of the design is the amount of glass between the living areas and terraces. The indoor-outdoor feeling is key to tropical Florida living, more so if that feeling flows beyond the habitable spaces, into the water and the horizon.

How did the building’s Bayfront location on one of the area’s last remaining waterfront parcels inspire the design?       

Life on the water is both calming and invigorating. The opportunity to design on the water’s edge is always an inspiration for any project. There is an abundance of water activity with marinas along the seawalls and docks on both sides of the lagoon. The early morning rowers from the nearby rowing club crews add charm and dynamism to the project.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Monaco Yacht Club & Residences

Explain how you incorporated the private marina into the project design. How did this amenity influence the overall property design?

The marina is integral to the design idea of the project and is part of the overall composition. The nautical design of the building continues into the actual naval architecture of the moored yachts in the marina along the waterfront of the site allowing the building and the yachts to coexist harmoniously.

Let’s discuss your method for working alongside an interior designer, such as Italian master architect Piero Lissoni on this project. How do your design philosophies complement each other? What do you think the end result will reflect?

We have worked with Piero before. We understand each other. We are both modernists, believers in the power of forms, of geometric purity, of the richness of materials within the boundaries of sophistication. Piero is the ultimate artist when it comes to interior design, his designs work well with our architecture. He blurs the boundaries between architecture and interior design so they appear seamless.

What is special or different about working on a project like MYC? What did you learn?

The beauty of this project is its human scale. Seldom in Miami Beach are there sites with this sense of an enclave for few residents who appreciate clean architectural lines and calm elegant interiors in a one-of-a-kind waterfront setting within the ultimate tropical global city that is Miami Beach.

For more information about Monaco Yacht Club & Residences, call 305.508.9832 or visit https://monacoyachtclubresidences.com/.

The post Monaco Yacht Club & Residences Design Q&A With Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Founding Principal Of Arquitectonica appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Optimum Development USA, joined by the project’s general contractor Moss and Fortune Development Sales, broke ground on the highly-anticipated project that will be located in Miami Beach’s MiMo District at 6800 Indian Creek Drive.

Matt Barry, Ricardo Tabet, Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Ana Cristina and Edgardo Defortuna

Photo Credit: WorldRedEye.com

“We are delighted to be hosting this momentous occasion,” said Ricardo Tabet, CEO of Optimum Development USA. “Featuring the extraordinary talents of Piero Lissoni and Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica, Monaco Yacht Club & Residences introduces a new dimension in urban, waterfront living in one of the world’s leading destinations for elegant and sophisticated design. The initial success of the sales process is a true testament to the demand buyers have for the pursuit of pleasure combined with the intimacy of a full-service boutique building.”

“We are honored to host this event,” said Rodolfo Misitano, CEO of Optimum Asset Management (parent company of Optimum Development USA). “As we have grown our business in Europe, our presence in the US has expanded to include multiple cities including New York, Boston and Philadelphia, while continuing to consider Miami a primary market and home base for our US operations.”

Catalina Martucci, Matt Barry, Rosella Garcia Moreno

Photo Credit: WorldRedEye.com

To be delivered fully-finished when it is completed in late 2021, world-renowned Italian interior designer Piero Lissoni meticulously curated each of the modern unit interiors with precise attention to detail, inclusive of the refined Italian-made fixtures and finishes, with European custom wood flooring. Lissoni employed a palette of warm whites and rich woods for the lobby and the premier “Resident’s Lounge” -- featuring a library and breakfast bar for leisurely waterfront dining -- that evokes a timeless, classic mood reminiscent of a luxurious Côte d’Azur summer resort and responds to the building’s program of luxury living, fun lifestyle, laid-back environment, and relaxed atmosphere.

City of Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber

Photo Credit: WorldRedEye.com

Fortune International Group is the sole broker of the project. “I’m very proud that our company has been selected to handle the sales and marketing of this magnificent building,” said Edgardo Defortuna, President and CEO of Fortune International Group. “Combining spectacular style, unmatched exclusivity and an array of first-class amenities, Monaco Yacht Club & Residences celebrates the very best Miami Beach has to offer.”

Ricardo Tabet, Bernardo Fort-Brescia

Photo Credit: WorldRedEye.com

Monaco Yacht Club & Residences will include one to four-bedroom residences, ranging in size from 918 to nearly 5,000 square feet, if combined. A limited collection of two impressive penthouses will offer expansive living areas, including private terraces with summer kitchens, starting at 2,888 square feet.

Primed for indoor/outdoor living and entertaining, the meticulously designed homes will feature expansive wraparound terraces each with finished floors and ceilings and sweeping views of Biscayne Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and the Miami skyline.

Photo Credit: WorldRedEye.com

Inside, units will have Italian kitchens by Boffi, stone countertops, 10-11-foot high ceilings, large walk-in closets, pre-wired for Home Automation systems to host the latest “Smart Building” technology, private elevator entrances, and premium bathroom interiors featuring imported Italian marble flooring, spacious tubs and frameless, glass-enclosed rainfall showers with designer faucets.

Ricardo Tabet, Ana Cristina & Edgardo Defortuna

Photo Credit: WorldRedEye.com

Offering the best of a yachtsman’s lifestyle, Monaco Yacht Club & Residences feature a 12 slip marina available exclusively to residents, as well as a yachting concierge for maintenance needs, yacht charters or sailing, and fishing excursions for the day to the Bahamas, the Florida Keys or to enjoy the Atlantic Ocean and the best of South Florida’s coastal living. Other waterfront amenities include paddle boarding, kayaking and more.

Lucia Morales, Vivian Galego-Mendez, Rosella Garcia Moreno

Photo Credit: WorldRedEye.com

Other amenities include a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the Miami skyline featuring a pool with poolside chaise lounge chairs, Jacuzzi and shaded lounge areas with a grill for entertaining, as well as a state-of-the-art fitness center overlooking Biscayne Bay.

Monaco Yacht Club & Residences are priced from $1.1 million.  For more information, call 305-749-9126 or visit https://monacoyachtclubresidences.com/.

Ricardo Tabet, Matt Barry

Photo Credit: WorldRedEye.com

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