Bringing Paris to Miami: A Modern Hôtel Particulier

At the heart of our practice is listening: listening to the unique dreams and passions of our clients and weaving their visions into the vibrant tapestry of our dynamic city. The client of 101 Hibiscus Residence loved French classical architecture but was moving to Miami Beach and wanted to bring that local sensibility into their new home.

The program for this project was both exciting and enriching, requiring us to reinterpret the essence of a French urban mansion, or “Hôtel Particulier,” into a modern, 21st-century Miami Beach residence. The client envisioned a home that was thoroughly modern yet grounded in historical architectural precedents; like many of our projects, 101 Hibiscus was crafted to respect past design traditions while capturing aspirations for the future.

Adapting Historic Layout and Design

The concept of the arrival court, inspired by the Cour d’honneur, included a threshold gate and a discreetly positioned garage, which was aptly placed where traditional stables would have been located.

Beyond the arrival court, an oversized Foyer opens to waterfront views and a large Grand Stair, emulating the parti, or spatial organization, of actual French urban palaces. Through research and studies, we discovered that the elements that made the architecture of Hôtel Particuliers so grand were those invisible elements embedded into the architectural fabric—proportion and scale.

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Proportion thus played a pivotal role in every aspect of this project. We meticulously studied and measured historic stairs and grand foyers, ensuring that each new space was mathematically harmonious, evoking the graciousness of the original Hôtel Particulier. Every detail from stair threads to ceiling heights contributed to the harmonious flow of spaces.

Even the materiality and detailing of the house, which seem minimal, required a meticulous level of detail and craft. Our client sourced some of the world’s finest marbles, pre-cut in Italy and assembled on-site. The result was a breathtaking display of ornate patterns and exquisite marble floors and walls throughout the house.

For the rooftop garden we did a modern interpretation of a French garden that incorporated a fun, futurist, Miami Beach twist: in lieu parterres and fountains the green roof included a spa pool and sunning beds.

Team Credits

Landscape Design: ENEA   |   Interior FFE Design: Linda Zarifi

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More about Hôtel Particuliers

In France, a hôtel particulier referred to free-standing Parisian mansions developed in the 16th century, often close to the royal court and the king. They were defined as houses “less beautiful than palaces and more beautiful than simple lodgings.” The term essentially described a private palace in the city or the townhouse of a nobleman. Our research included the study of numerous 18th-century Hôtel Particuliers in Paris, including visits to iconic locations like Hôtel Carnavalet, Hôtel de Soubise, and Hôtel Lambert.