Situated on a narrow waterfront lot in the Florida Keys, the Key Largo Residence was conceived as a refined and resilient modern retreat for a couple from Iowa, seeking a seasonal escape immersed in the lush tropical landscape and coastal environment. The site posed unique constraints: an abandoned, partially built concrete frame left behind by the previous owners and a highly regulated building context shaped by FEMA flood zone requirements and stringent hurricane codes.

Working with the inherited structural framework, RES4 approached the challenge as an opportunity to creatively engage with the existing concrete structure, reinterpreting it as the foundational logic for a new architectural vision. The resulting design overlays the clean, efficient geometries of modern domestic space onto a pre-existing grid, balancing design integrity with the pragmatic demands of reuse and resilience.

The new home unfolds across two levels, elevated to comply with floodplain regulations and engineered to withstand the coastal climate’s harshest conditions. Large expanses of glazing frame panoramic views of the water while welcoming in abundant natural light. Deep overhangs and louvered elements mitigate solar heat gain and provide privacy, creating comfortable outdoor living areas that blur the boundaries between interior and exterior.

Drawing inspiration from both the vernacular architecture of the Keys and the clients’ desire for a calm, contemporary refuge, the material palette is deliberately restrained to articulate the home’s crisp lines and enhance its connection to the site. The interiors are open and informal, with an emphasis on natural ventilation, cross breezes, and sightlines that extend from the house to the sea.

Despite the limitations imposed by inherited infrastructure and regulatory demands, the project emerges as a highly specific and site-sensitive solution—at once minimal and expressive, robust and serene. In transforming the remnants of an unrealized past into a deeply personal place of retreat, the Key Largo Residence reflects RES4’s ongoing commitment to adaptive design strategies that are both contextual and modern.