Week In Review For Townhomes In Miami

Posted on: June 4th, 2010 | 29 Comments

This is Day 136 of the Slow Home Project and we need you to join us in our quest to evaluate the design quality of houses in nine North American cities in nine months. This week we are analyzing townhomes in Miami and today we are going to be reviewing this week’s design projects and revealing our finalists for the Slow Home Award in the category of Townhomes in Miami.

Happy Friday everyone! Today, we will be reviewing the Design Projects that were submitted on Wednesday, voting for who you think should win the Slow Home Award for best townhouse design in Miami as well as announcing who has won the Slow Homer of the Week!

Thank you to everyone who submitted Design Projects this week! We have a lot of posts and a lot of discussion. We would like to draw your attention to three projects that we thought were very well done.

The first is by Bbhorner. We chose this plan because of the clarity of the circulation route through the center of the house. In a long, narrow plan, it is critical to have an efficient and direct circulation strategy that takes into account furniture placement and eliminates any twists, turns or hallways.

The second plan of note is from Molly K. Her scheme took an innovative twist on the front of the unit by including a small, but very private study. This is important to remember because sometimes a separate and small, but well designed space, can be an effective way reduce the apparent length of a narrow plan town home.

The final plan we thought deserved some additional attention is from Alison G. We liked how she opened the plan up in the center of the house by eliminating the walls around the guest bath and the back entry from the garage. In this particular unit, this was a good design strategy.

For today’s nominees for Best Townhouse, you can vote for either of the two projects we have selected or you can vote for neither. We need you to post a comment to the site and tell us which way you voted and why!

The first nominee is the “Dorada” in the “Cascada” development in Cooper City, Florida. It scored 17 out of 20 on the Slow Home Test and was originally reviewed by Terri. It is 1,655 sq ft and has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths.

The second nominee is in the “Carat” development in Bay Harbor Islands. These units are 2,854 sq ft and are 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths. They were originally posted by Nicole and have a received a Slow Home Test score of 16 out of 20.

Thank you for voting.

Loading ... Loading ...

To see who has won the Slow Homer of the Week, click on the link below!

See you on Monday where we will be spending the week reviewing all the data that has been collected from Miami as well as announcing some special activities for next week!

  • MollyK

    I looked at all the units for Tuesday’s exercise and liked the Dorado the best for our imaginary couple. But I never got around to logging onto the discussion that day. Congrats to Terri for proposing the better alternative.

    I think the Dorado is a better example of the Slow Home philosophy of simplicity and lightness than the Carat. And, in general, it would be a good representative for a Slow Home award.

    *Not withstanding the need for an elevator in certain situations, the Carat unit might not need an elevator if the Master suite didn’t take up an entire floor, thus forcing the unit to have a total of 4 floors.
    *In addition, the Carat has many unnecessary features:
    –4 bathrooms
    –a bidet, oversized shower, large tub, & supersized closets in Master ensuite
    –a bar counter with another sink in the Master bedroom
    –2 kitchen sinks
    –2 dishwashers
    –2 ovens
    –2 laundry closets (1st floor beside stairs & 2nd floor beside elevator)
    *It also has an area of wasted circulation in the middle of the 1st floor.
    *AND no mention of noteworthy environmental features.

  • SangeetaG

    I voted for the Cascada (Dorada) because I thought it was a well designed space for a long narrow unit. The circulation is really effective. The size and spaces allotted to public/private areas are also well done. For example, the closets are a good size and there is a natural placement for living areas and bedrooms. I especially like how they have setback the closets and bathroom length wise on one side allowing the bedrooms to fit perfectly on the other end. Great spaces and a very readable plan.

    I agree with Molly on the over sized and excessive features in the Carat, and that’s why it didn’t get my vote. I especially can’t get my head around having an elevator. It might be a good way for seniors to get to floors, but why add more floors than needed in the first place. Instead of rooms being allotted to one person, an entire floor has been provided to them, example the master suite.
    This is a well designed unit but also an unsustainable one. Imagine cleaning this house. yuck.

  • JPHH

    I also picked the Dorada. I think that this unit is well planed and everything is a good size. Here there is no wasted space and no extra features that are not needed. I agree with both MollyK and SangeetaG that the Carat has to many features that are not needed and is over sized. I think that the top floor being just master bedroom is excessive.

  • Mid America Mom

    Nice to see something to vote on. I know you were looking forward Matthew to Miami – disappointed? This town looked brutal.

    ****
    First thing that struck me is the exterior of the Carat looks like a modern condo complex (which I think is a downside)

    2. Square footage is night and day.

    3. Assumed large cost difference due to above.

    4. Green. Dorado was built to be green. 5. Stairs. Two in Carat which takes much space and then an efficient L in Dorado (Note a shape we did not discuss during our stair discussion in the Toronto phase of the project but one that Terri I believe advocated (and here you are Terri recommending the unit to Harold and Cathy :) )).

    5. Carat does not have outdoor living on the living floor so no easy outdoor dining or coffee breaks.

    6. Long and narrow versus more of a box floorplan shape.

    By being light, airy, environmentally and cost friendly Dorado is slower.

  • Mid America Mom

    OOPS sorry on numbering..

  • Mid America Mom

    Before I forget- I was not able to take a side trip to the master planned communities of The Villages or Celebration in central Florida to share with y’all.

    But here is a piece on Celebration – http://www.designobserver.com/observatory/entry.html?entry=3627

    Mid America Mom

  • autobrad

    I liked the Dorada, firstly because it had the best circulation and options for placing the furniture. The side entry into the kitchen was week especially for entertaining. Better to enter into a living room if it is straight in. I thought the bathrooms were well placed with an efficient use of space. I don’t like the fridge on the end of the ‘U’ based on Matthew’s comments. I think the size and location of the laundry is good. Overall this unit is superior to the Carat because the size and configuration of rooms seemed odd. I felt the living room was just a large open space with no thought put in, especially for that back right portion that is on its own. I don’t like that the laundry is on the main and not the upper where all the clothes are.

    Overall, the Dorada is a good example of slow.

  • Grace Coulter

    I would not give the Dorada” in the “Cascada” a 17/20. First off the entrance is poor at best. From the side of the house meaning the entire wall of the back is consumed by parking thus no natural light is coming in. As a consequence of the parking everything is moved to the front of the house. The circulation from the entrance through the kitchen behind the island is difficult to navigate into the living room. Also the dining is defined by entry ways which is problematic. The upstairs space is better although giving the master suite two closets seems excessive a poor space allocation in a smaller home.

    With the Carat I must admit the top level suite is appealing at first glance although obviously excessive. Is that a sink in the bedroom? I am confused about that bar thing in the bedroom space on the 4th floor. If you chop of the top level and the bottom spaces the town house seems much more feasible for the average user. I am a bit conflicted because personal elevators and spa pools jsut don’t seem sustainable to me and yet on the other hand some users with higher incomes may purchase more extravagant homes. I guess if you choose this over a mcMansion then this becomes the more sustainable options. Yet looking at the images and seeing all the little pools lined up is difficult to swallow.

    I was going to vote Carat but I have decided that neither home is appropriate for the award which should only recognize the highest standards in design. Not merely the best that is available out of a poor selection.

  • Terri

    First, thanks, John and Matthew, for bestowing me the Slow Homer Award this week. I’ll have to walk around saying “Doh!” all day now! :)

    When I mentioned that Dorada seemed like the best townhome plan in the Cascada complex, I hadn’t thought it might be nominated. I thought the side entry was problematic, because it causes the dining room to get sandwiched between two entries (main and garage). But given the other choices in Cascada, it seemed much better.

    As for the Slow Townhome in Miami vote, I agree with the others regarding the excesses of Carat, so I just couldn’t vote for it, even though it’s basically an infill project.

    I feel that despite the entry problem with Dorada, it deserves an award, if only because we FINALLY got to see a LEED development near Miami because of it. It seems that Florida is a little behind with promoting energy efficiency, so I think Cascada deserves some noteworthy attention for that reason alone. The Dorada is a modestly designed townhouse too–more in keeping with Slow Home philosophy.

  • Bell604

    I voted for the Dorada at Cascada. This plan does still have its flaws: Poor Entry, Two Car Garage, Water Heater in Garage (LEED hates this) and an unnecessary amount of closet space for the master suite. It shows a very good use of space, with little redundancy. The organization of the plan is well done, and there is good use of natural light and outdoor living connections.
    The Carat plan has way to much going on. Perhaps this is because it was designed for a higher demographic then what we have really seen on this site so far. But it seems like to much space, poorly organized with to many unnecessary features. The entrance for the unit is through the garage, there are some very dark hallways within the middle of the plan. There are way to many bathrooms. And lets be honest. Why does it need an elevator?

  • MollyK

    MAM,
    Just had to tell you how much I laughed at your description of Miami…brutal…it just fits the bill. It is a pity to find such fast homes in all 3 categories. I am very curious about Philadelphia…I know it hasn’t done well in the category of “healthiest” cities in America. I hope it will provide some innovative designs…Let’s go there next week and get a head start.;)

  • MollyK

    Grace Coulter,
    I must admit I missed the negative impact of the garage on the unit. I think the fact that this is a corner unit is the saving grace…no pun intended.;)
    I also agree with your criticism of the entry and dining area. I would be more inclined to penalize the entry than the dining, but there is room for judgement calls throughout the test.
    You were very astute in your observations of the Dorado.

  • Cnick

    I voted for the Dorada because it is well functioning for a small, narrow townhome project. The “Carat”, is very large for just a townhome and I dont like the fact that it is spread on so many levels. Like MollyK mentioned, there is far to many unnecessary features as well that would probably not be of use to the average townhome buyer. I think of townhome buyers as empty-nesters, couples w/o children or singles so I think the large amount of space and number of bedrooms in the Carat would not be necessary for these groups of people. Familys tend to opt for the single-family home which includes many of these rooms and extras so I do not think this townhome is targeted for the groups that are actually in that market, but it is rather targeted for a family.

    The Dorada has a well planned living/dining and kitchen area. I find the dining area in the Carat slightly awkward and it might be difficult to place furniture once you have stools along the kitchen eating bar. I also like the plan of the top floor. It is an efficient use of space.

  • MarisaM

    I choose the Carat for this week’s vote.

    I like it because of the townhome’s natural light and many windows. It seems to have a lot of space stacked on top of each other. The set up of the kitchen and dining room is very efficient well laid out area of the house. There is good circulation and the common places are properly grouped together. Although these is wasted space through the many hallways in the upper levels of the townhouse. But I like the separation of bedrooms, provides distance from the residents in the home.

  • Tara

    I also voted for the Dorada. I think the unit is overall quite effective, apart from a couple of flaws. Compared to what else I have seen in the Miami area, I think it is a great improvement over the norm. I found the Carat wasteful in size and I was not convinced that it would be an overall enjoyable complex.

  • Mid America Mom

    MollyK happy I made you laugh!

    Bell604 Loved the comment on the elevator.

    *** OK we know LEED does not allow a hot water heater in the garage for whatever reason….

    It is hot in South florida and this is probably unheated so I am thinking this unit is not working really hard..

    BUT if I had to relocate – would placing it in that side wall master closet space like against plumbing codes if electric? It is the same wall as the kitchen.

  • Deng

    I am having trouble finding the entry in the Carat!! There are so many doors and extras that it is overloading my senses!!
    I would consider the Carat a “slow” home though, it was designed with a lot of thought: elevator, bar and pool/spa. You can tell it was designed for a certain clientele.
    The Dorade is very simple compared to Carat. I do not like the entry from the garage (tight) and the entry into the house (feels like a secondary entrance). The bedrooms in Doroda seem tight as well compared to the Carat.
    I feel like these are two very different townhomes and are not comparable. For the “couple” we had in our previous assignment, the Dorade would be the better pick. All rooms have a visual connection with each room. The space is much more efficiently used than Carats.

  • bbhorner

    My vote is for the Dorada.

    I like both of them and they both have different benefits and draw backs. I am not a hundred percent sure if the number of floors affect the slowness of a home but it was a major contributing factor for my vote. Living on four floors seems like a challenge to me, even with an elevator. Therefore the Dorada is the better and slower home in my opinion because it is compact and efficient design and layout.

  • Murray

    I also voted for the Dorada.

    I was curious about a number of features in the Carat based on previous people’s comments.

    MollyK – everything is double in the kitchen because it is kosher, as are the granite countertops. The blue area on the floor plan may indicate a kosher dining zone.

    Also you may think differently about the Carat because, as Grace pointed out, it appears to have a wet bar in the bedroom!! – probably so you don’t have to trundle downstairs for a midnight snack.

    Deng makes a very good point that the only entry into the home is via the garage.

    The unit is only about 18 ft wide which makes it narrower than our design project this week.

  • nicole

    Carat was designed for a specific clientele in mind. It is a great option for those who want something luxurious in a relatively ‘small’ foot print. I say small foot print because I can see this type of clientele building an enormous ranch style bungalow at 2800 sq ft.
    As for the modern look, I think that this design is really refreshing, not your typical ‘residential facade’.

    Dorado – the major benefit of this project is the environmental initiatives, which is so important!
    Negative aspects include the entry, and lack of light accessible to the interior spaces.
    The lack of design on the exterior is also a downfall, in my opinion.
    The furniture shown in the living area is too big in scale for the size of the space.

    Overall, I will say neither, because no ‘one’ stands out for me.

    Murray + Deng – the entry for the carat is on the main floor near the spa

  • Kadoman

    I chose the Dorada. The only real issue I had with it’s design is the lack of a real front entry, and the lack of natural light in the upper level hall.

    The Carat is just stupifyingly large. I understand that large homes don’t need to be excluded from our landscape, but find it hard designating such large areas to the rooms in that home. And like many others, an elevator? The consumption required to run one in your home, and the waste of space devoted to one, is quite absurd to me. Unless there is a disabled person in the residence. 4 bedrooms, and 4.5 bathrooms is also an absurd ratio for me. The waste and consumption implied by that ratio is quite stunning.

  • Kadoman

    I guess my lack of respect for the carat lies in the fact that I don’t think that anyone needs that kind of space, and that the space is actually quite labor-some to live in. There is very little efficiency in movement if you have an entire floor dedicated to a bedroom/bathroom suite.

  • PeterB

    Being in the minority and voting for the Carat, I feel this place is where i would live in miami provided i could afford it. Everything about it seems perfectly done in my eyes. The clean lines of the exterior and the open spaced interior (may just be because of the large square footage) all point to an excellent designed complex. Albeit a bit excessive, the Carat has everything which the slow home test requires aside from environmental impacts.

    The one thing which people say they have made a mistake on in the carat is the excess space by the stairs. I actually feel that bit works quite nicely because there is nothing worse to stare at in a household than the stairs. This bit of wasted space provides a nice bit of seperation between the stairs and the tenant.

  • Hilda

    Hey All!

    Joining the minority group and giving my vote to Carat, it got my vote because, the designer clearly took advantage of the spaces and the natural lighting. Using it to light up the house and keeping the circulation light.
    I had a chance to visit a similiar type of housing once, while I agree that having the one floor for master bedroom might be excessive, the overall circulation of the house was really nice. You don’t feel as if you’re in a small space, with all the outside lighting.
    Cheers!

  • Jessica

    I voted for the Cascada for its well-proportioned spaces (I’d say this is a comment that can be applied to all facets of its program), incorporation of outdoor space proximal to key areas (kitchen and master bedroom), grouping of like spaces, as well as its minimal circulation space. My only concern is that it is a corner unit, and yet the design does not utilize daylight from the east side–particularly on the second floor where we have the bank of bathrooms. Would these be better placed on the opposite side of the plan?

  • Terri

    Mid America Mom,
    Thanks for the link to the piece by Michael Bierut on Celebration. Interesting discussion there–I read all the comments.

  • Mid America Mom

    Hawks lost tonight- oh why??

    Terri you are welcome. Those comments were quite interesting. All this talk on the facades. I thought to myself at least they mix up the styles even if nostalgic. I feel depressed when I go into a suburban mass development with every home looking like their neighbor.

    But I admit that even though I like the ideas of new urbanism and what it means for slowness… we all know it can fall flat if the underlying floorplan is poorly designed. You lose back yard as these have rear garages on the alley..

    Speaking of which here is a realty with some plans – http://www.celebrationhouses.com/floorplans/floorplanmenu.html

    I like this duplex plan at first glance – http://www.celebrationhouses.com/floorplans/cambridge-tiffany-a.htm

    Mid America Mom

  • Neogi

    I voted for the Dorada, i think it uses the space better than the carat. And as many have already pointed out that the carat is for a certain demographic, the plan is very luxurious and wasteful in my opinion. However its not that i personal dislike the plan, i actually like it a lot but from a slow home perspective the Dorada just fits the bill a lot better. The entry is questionable as it opens directly onto the kitchen, i normally prefer to open on to a living space if a separate foyer is not plausible. The side entry does work with the plan tho, as it frees up a lot of space for the other principle rooms and by having a side entry the narrow townhouse feel is neglected and the great room feels much more open and larger. However the dinning space is very tight as it is exposed to both the garage entrance and the main entry. Other than that the plan is solid and i can see why it had scored to high on the slow home test.

  • Terri

    M.A.M.
    Your duplex plan looks good at first glance because there’s no garage! What a concept, eh? The only criticisms I’d make on the plan is the cupboard at the end of the kitchen peninsula. I think it’s a bit in the way, and I guess I’d prefer an opening at either end of that counter, making it an island, so that movement in and out of the kitchen is less channelled.

    The other problem, IMO, is the master bedroom closet being so far away–a long walk through the bathroom. I don’t like the door facing the main bathroom much either, but that’s a lesser consideration.