As experts in coastal construction in Florida, United Architects, a Miami architectural firm with offices in Coral Gables, provides the experience and knowledge required to design buildings that are resilient and sustainable. Hurricanes are very destructive, as we saw from Hurricane Ian recently. If you are going to build a residential project in Miami, whether it’s a multi-use residential complex, a new house, or an addition to a house, you need someone who understands the requirements of this area. Whoever is going to design a project for you is going to need to have a thorough understanding of zoning requirements and construction detailing.
Qualifications of a Miami architect with experience in coastal construction
We're well versed in the Florida Building Code and the zoning ordinances of Miami-Dade County, as well as the many cities within the county, particularly Miami21, the zoning code for the city of Miami. This gives us an advantage over other firms because we know exactly what will work best for your project based on your budget and location.
If you are interested in the residential design process for building a new house or addition, you can go to the middle of this residential page and read more about the process.
Appropriate orientation for your building or house
We have a passion for creating beautiful, custom residences and buildings that are sustainable and resilient. Miami has a wonderful climate in the winter and terrible heat and possible tropical storms or hurricanes in the summer. You want a design that takes both into consideration. You want to keep the heat out in the summer by providing shading devices for all your windows and doors, yet at the same time, you want the wonderful sunlight and sea breezes to cool your house in the winter without having to run the air-conditioning 24/7. You want to make sure the site orientation is right for your project both in the winter and in the summer. You want to make sure that your future pool will not be in complete shade during the day.
Flood zone issues
A Miami architect must be familiar with flooding issues. FEMA has a minimum elevation for house in a flood zone. If you want to build a building, a new house or an addition to a house, you must comply with FEMA regulations. This is a particularly difficult situation for a two-story house. You can read why here.
Wind issues
This area is prone to hurricanes and they seem to get more vicious and hit stranger places every year. Because of this, I recommend impact windows and doors, and it it a new house a concrete slab roof. You can read about that here. In South Florida we normally build the walls with reinforce concrete blocks, but we build roofs with wood trusses. This is the weak link in an otherwise strong structure. Wood just doesn't have the strength of concrete.
Examples
You can see these projects throughout our website, www.UnitedArchitectsInc.com. The residential projects are here and commercial projects are here.
One stop shop for your building needs
Our work is unique because we are a one-stop shop for all your building needs. We can help you find the right property with the proper zoning for what you want to build. Once the site is selected, we offer architectural design and coordination with all the necessary engineering disciplines. In addition, we can help you with permitting, finding the right contractor, and even the right contract to use to get your project built. This allows us to oversee all aspects of your project from beginning to end — from concept to completion — with a resulting high-quality finished project.
Call for a free consultation with Maria Luisa Castellanos, R.A., LEED AP, the principal of the firm, at 305-439-7898 or email at MLC@UnitedArchs.com
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