A Miami Beach Estate Inspired by Gio Ponti and Midcentury Magic City
Envisioning the private estate as a "freestanding sculpture," designer Achille Salvagni marries contemporary architecture with vintage European furniture to create a one-of-a-kind property in South Florida.
In a sign of the times, Italian architect Achille Salvagni completed his first ground-up project in the U.S. without ever stepping foot in the country: Covid travel restrictions forced the designer to oversee every last detail of the Miami Beach residence from his apartment in Rome. Often working through the night to coincide with the East Coast time zone and using remote video calls, he directed the precise placement for the interior installation including the furniture, carpets, fabrics, lighting, cabinetry, and artworks.
One look at the $21 million private estate along the waterfront of Surprise Lake, whose arching stark white architecture pays homage to retro 1950s Miami, and it’s clear the remote orchestration didn’t hamper Salvagni’s vision one bit. It’s a remarkable feat, but not a surprising one. On his way to designing luscious yacht interiors and celebrated furniture collections, Salvagni has earned renown for his ability to apply the materiality and precision of the midcentury Italian masters to his modernist sensibility. Case in point: inside the contemporary shell of 810 Lakeview Drive lies a trove of antique furniture from boldfaced names such as Paolo Buffa, Stilinovo, FontanaArte, Serge Mouille, Pierre Guariche, Angelo Lelli, and Marco Zanuso.
Below, we get a closer look at the project.
Project Description: This sophisticated, one-of-a-kind property in Miami Beach has just come on the market and is Achille Salvagni‘s first ground-up project in the US. With this project, he has introduced a definitively, higher-level luxury turnkey property like no other on the market today. This contemporary private estate is situated in one of Miami Beach’s most exclusive enclaves overlooking Surprise Lake on Lakeview Drive. From top to bottom, Salvagni’s touch is evident. For the interiors, he used some of the most exquisite materials including rare marbles, onyx, and woods to bronze and gold accents. To complement Salvagni’s own handcrafted furniture, sconces, and chandeliers, he curated a selection of signed Italian and European 20th-century furniture and antiques including Paolo Buffa, Stilinovo, Fontana Arte, Serge Mouille, Pierre Guariche, Angelo Lelli, and Marco Zanuso among others.
Inspiration: Salvagni conceived the home as a freestanding sculpture inspired by the work of Gio Ponti paired with the unique historical character of the classic 1950’s Miami Beach. In many ways, the property is reflective of his design philosophy at large with an overarching contemporary feel rooted in the finest traditional craftsmanship. The layout of the structure with its large seagull-shaped walls welcomes and reflects the sun around the infinity pool capitalizing on the highly-coveted outdoor Miami lifestyle. The main living spaces feature sensually curved walls that encourage conviviality around the floor-to-ceiling windows making a fluid dialogue with the outside. The private areas have a personal imprint, serene atmosphere, and refined details that create a retreat from the rest of the home.
Blueprint: Totaling nearly 8,000 square feet of living space, the waterfront home features seven bedrooms, six full bathrooms, and a powder room, as well as a 90-foot infinity pool at the water’s edge; a cabana, private boat dock, and patios occupy the manicured grounds. Built beyond exacting standards, the finest craftspeople were employed to execute Salvagni’s vision. A grand entry gallery, double-height living room with fireplace, formal dining room, enormous dine-in professional chef’s kitchen with Wolf and Subzero appliances, sculptural bespoke designed cabinetry with 24-carat gold leaf detailing, a magnificent bronze staircase, and two generously sized bedroom suites occupy the ground level. The second-floor master suite features a private deck, full bathroom, and custom walk-in closets. There are four additional guest suites on this level with each living space detailed to the finest degree, from sensuous curvilinear walls to the use of extraordinary materials and processes.
Takeaways/Uniqueness: The depth and detail of the artistry and craftsmanship must be seen to be understood with handcrafted fixtures, millwork and floors, extensive use of one-of-a-kind marble in bathrooms, and custom built closets and cabinetry throughout. This property is beyond comparison to any other Miami Beach home. To ensure the highest level of quality beyond the furnishings, Salvagni had all the materials for the house sourced in Italy from the marble and wood to the bronze and upholstery, every last item was shipped directly from Rome. Throughout the house, he used brushed Negresco, Verde Alpi, Malyat limestone and Absolute Belgium Black marble, as well as French polished mahogany, brushed oak for wall paneling and cabinetry and natural oak flooring.
The house with furnishings is being offered at $22.2 Million USD. The listing agent is Oren Alexander of Douglas Elliman.
