Architectural Review Board - Regular Meeting

to order, and I don't have the agenda here to guide me. Oh, OK. We'll call. We'll call. Chair Renaud, the board is present. Amanda Barton.

Very well. So we do pledge allegiance. We have some minutes for approval from December Move to approve

Very well. And the applicant has been in contact and dialoguing with all the conditions and has been

Very well. So is the applicant ready to present? All right. Come up to the podium and state your name for the record and show us how this has evolved.

And just for everybody, Jose is on Zoom.

Could you, just for the record, give us the lot size and how much air conditioned space the house is proposing?

You got to share. I guess maybe it hasn't been shared. I wish you could easily zoom into these PDFs so we could all see what I'm seeing, because I'm looking at the lot coverage and building area calculation. It's kind of interesting to kind of understand, you know, the neighborhood, the community is concerned about bulk size of these homes, right? So that's why I'm bringing it up, because there's some comments from neighbors about that, and I'm looking at your lot area is $27,999, almost $28,000, right? That seems to be it. Yeah, and then, you know, this has been reviewed by the zoning reviewe

One-car parking garage. And you have how many bedrooms in the house?

You got public transportation service to the site? Yeah, one of the comments here from one of the sensitive neighbors is really these houses are large, and how do they accommodate for parking? That's always a concern that the community has been sharing with us through time, and I need to put that on the record. But again, you're designing for a client who is okay with this programming of one car garage, On the outdoor driveway area. In the driveway area.

Right. I don't think the code says for a house of this size you need to have X amount of interior car garages, right?

So my recollection, and members of the committee could clarify if I'm wrong, but the main concern that we had, which we wanted you to come back, was I think the way the glazing was applied and the double layering of glazing and the integration of sort of like a nano wall type of thing with a sliding glass door type of thing. Right. You've come back to us to show us how you've resolved that, and you'll make your presentation. But I believe that that was the main concern that the committee had here, having to do with something that's so important to the House, right, because the House is sort of

There's a darkness in the front facade. What is that material that creates that darkness? Is that stone?

So that panel is acting like a screen. It has glazing behind it?

Okay. Got it. I thought the perforation was to see through, but you're seeing through to something opaque. Correct.

I see. So there's lighting behind it, so you'll appreciate that at night. Exactly.

You've got that detailed in your package?

Behind the cladding that you're describing is just a stucco mass, right? Solid. Right, exactly. Okay. That seems to kind of see that. It would be like a similar concrete gray look if you're using a static color. All right. Continue, please.

I think you mentioned the width of the panels is about eight feet.

In height? Yes. With the same width as these, so the lines are matching.

This elevator that you're using is a commercial hydraulic?

I do have a question on the section for the mezzanine. Right now you're showing the slab pretty much touching the glazing for the facade. How are you having that react with the lighting in the evenings? It's going to be a thicker band, or what are you envisioning for that space?

You can almost see it on that bottom one there.

Just curious, who's doing your structural engineering for this? Optimus.

Yeah, so the detail that Amanda is referring to spans along the game area and the mezzanine floor. It almost looks like it's a planter. Is there planting on that?

Because I think the concern that Amanda is, I guess, suggesting is that you have glazing in front of that. And, of course, at night, right, during the day, it's not an issue because this reflective glass is going to homogenize everything aesthetically. But then at night, you are going to see on the inside some kind of shadow of that beam, right?

Especially right now, it looks a butt to the glazing rather than having a gap to allow for the lighting to continue through.

Is that beam a structural necessity or is that a design feature?

Yeah. So, yeah, so, I mean, it's an internal feature issue. Yeah.

Oh, no, I meant exterior-wise in the evening what it's going to have on the impact. Because we're not seeing really any night renderings to see what happens.

I think her scope was two daytime renderings and...

I mean, it's just, again, there are many practical issues, like how do you finish the side of that element that is between that and the windows? But then, you know, you'll see it through. There'll be kind of transparency on the sides. And in that area associated with the mezzanine, you're going to have like the shadow of that, you know?

Yeah, you'll start reading that mezzanine.

It would be kind of a party pooper if you look at it that way. And it seems like there's some water intended to be there, so that's also, you're looking for trouble when you bring water in there. But, yeah, so that's something to consider. It's more like a friendly comment. It's not... And then, you know, I see you're using like a long span structural system to try to reduce the amount of columns and create all kinds of challenges for the mechanical ductwork to pass through. Yes, of course, of course. Okay.

There's a clear story that is three feet two inches. Yeah.

Right. Just curious, do you have a glazing engineer doing the specialty engineering for all the glazing? Yeah, so Prestige has an engineer... Using their in-house guy. Correct.

On the front it seems like the glazing is also 14 feet to match the glazing. The glazing, the door itself is that dark thing in the middle, right?

You have provided additional details for the glazing, and that's a very interesting detail. And, of course, you've got the mock-up here of the intention of the sliders.

Go back to the detail that you were showing us for the window. Just a few questions about that. So in the bottom eyebrow, you're showing something called surecrete, sure stamp, wood plank, pattern concrete. So is it wood or is it concrete?

So your intention is that you're applying this to the concrete eyebrow that you poured and removed the forms, and you've got a concrete eyebrow, and then this goes on top of that.

Yeah, exactly. But the product is, what, three-quarter inches?

Got it. Yeah, so again, these are concerns of technical qualities and performance long term, right? Because you want this house to age properly, right? We're in a very tropical environment with a lot of water. So whatever you put there, which is not going to be, it's not stucco. I mean, the way the drawing shows now, it's almost like if you're applying a layer of stucco, but it's actually a panelized system. So you're stamping the concrete as you're pouring it? You're stamping it, and that's the end result of the product? No, no, no, no.

Have you seen this used in canopies like this in South Florida before?

Because typically it's for like a driveway or a terrace or something like that. Because it's kind of seamless. It goes into the vertical thin thing, and then it comes to the bottom as well.

Because there is a coordination of all this to make it all come together properly. Absolutely. And one magical act. I want to be there. Invite me, please. Yeah, so that, yeah, because, you know, again, in my practice, we do similar elegant, fragile things, and there's always a concern of how you finish it, right? You know, stucco, everybody says, no, don't do stucco because it cracks, the water gets under the stucco, and then it becomes an issue. But it could be that that applied stamping solution may have a similar problem. It'll probably crack, water gets through it, and then the water wants

I actually had the same question, but it was actually for the roof detail, if you scroll up to the top of how it ends.

Yeah, up there, it seems like she's feathering it to the concrete slab, which probably has a fluid-applied roofing solution, like a Tremco product. Yeah, so that's going to be a challenge. Because you're transitioning that product into your roof, right? So that's, yeah, another magic trick. So, I mean, I've seen this succeed when you do like a whole precast element that you pour this thing in a control environment as a precast element and then you kind of come and then. fascinating to the building. It's just that, you know, that is more of a commercial detail for a commercial building, perhaps

Yes. So the PT slab within this element that you were cutting this section?

So you have potentially PT slab, then you have some kind of Hambrow structural system, like the long-span joists. Right, yeah.

Yeah, and with all this, you end up with a second floor that's about 8 feet, 6 inches in ceiling height?

A bit tight, but I guess it's cozy. Okay.

Out of curiosity, again, are you using a waterproofing consultant to review these details and get feedback? Yeah, yeah. I think that would be smart because this is real innovation. This is cutting-edge innovation for sure. And the success of these kind of innovative details is a long-term performance, you know. and how our environment with all the NOAs and all these regulations affect this innovation. Jose, are you in the Zoom? Could he hear me?

He's muted? I just wonder if Jose has any questions or comments. You remember Jose?

Anybody else in the Zoom besides Jose? Any neighbors in the Zoom or just...

You guys have more questions as we wait for Jose to connect?

You're not spilling over, at least on the roof, okay? Your intention is to capture it all, yeah, okay.

Well, you have a water tank, but that's, I don't know how that comes about, what's the functionality of that water tank, but you're showing six condensing units.

the mechanical engineer is done. So just, I mean, I don't think the city is limiting you to the mechanical farm that you do on the roof. And I believe, and building official, correct me if I'm wrong, but the screening system that is around the mechanical is only allowed to be 42 inches railing height.

Okay, so two small comments. One comment is the SureCreep. It is a product that is made for the application that she's presenting. I really don't have a problem with the SureCreep. Just in case maybe Reynaldo had never used it, it's a good product. So I just wanted to support her point. And then the second point that I have is, It's actually the size of the glazing on the second floor. When I'm looking at this view that we're seeing right now, the north elevation on the bottom, it shows these giant pieces of glass. You know, is the house really going to look like that? Someone makes that size

Does someone have product approval for something that large?

Wow, okay. I don't have a problem with that.

You want to identify who else is in the Zoom?

Yeah, he's back there. Could you? Usually the Zoom would identify anybody else that's logged in, right?

Could you put that on the speaker so we could hear that?

Jose, I think you could be heard now in the normal speaker system here.

Great. Now, I only have two comments. My first comment is that the SureCrete, I have never used it, but I have the advantage that I'm sitting here and I will say where we check. It's a local company. It's a Florida company. And apparently they advertise all kinds of different products that give you this wood look. It's almost liquid applied. It's very interesting. I've never used it. I'll look into it more. But basically what we're being told, the way they want to use it, it seems like in their website they have the product for that. So I don't have a problem with that at all. And then my othe

I don't have a problem as long as you meeting the code. I'm just bringing it up because hopefully your client, like you said, he understands. If the client understands, fantastic.

Well, the house has come a long way since we last saw it. Thank you for listening to our suggestions about the cross sections. They really help. And now we can see that you don't have that exterior void space that you used to have between the first and second. So it really, the house has come a long way from the last time we saw it. And I'm okay with it. I don't have an issue with it.

This product... What's the contractor's name? Guillermo? Guillermo. Oh, Guillermo. So this comes in five-gallon buckets, and you apply it as such over the concrete? The surecrete?

Yeah, so, I mean, I've used the product in a vertical surface, right? The horizontal always creates other challenges, the way, you know, the environment behaves. I'm in their website. I don't see any single-family home. Like, usually they have, like, a gallery of images to see. Because, you know, I think in this house, how that performs becomes super important. I know you know that. And, you know, there's another system that Stowe prepares that is a very thin system. And it's a little... Is it Powerwall? The STO system, they apply it. It's got more mechanical flexibility, you know, for avoidin

I mean, my concern is that this product, as shown here, is more for a slab, you know, and a terrace and a, you know, something like that than on an eyebrow. How does it perform both on the top, on the side, thin, fragile edge, and then return? back to the underside, how all that gets applied. It's all in the application, right? And how the product will perform long-term. And again, I see now system images here that look like wood planks, and it seems like that's the texture that you're shooting for. Yeah, because, you know... Brazilians don't like IPE because in Brazil there's too much IPE bei

Yes. So I think this has the aspect of durability and performance and aesthetics that I think you're thinking of. It's just, you know, our system here, our process doesn't allow us to sort of say, okay, look, build a mock-up and we'll come to the site and see it. I don't think we have the right to say that, right, Susan? No.

Yeah, I'm not suggesting to change the store or anything like that. I mean, if you're going in this direction, you know, it would be nice to see how this thing would be applied and so on eventually, but... You know, the architecture depends on how these minimalist elements are executed. The glazing is exquisite. I mean, Titone is a dream system. So happy that you're able to afford it for this project because we don't have enough examples of Titone.

Yes. But it's a beautiful system, and, you know, you get a lot of width, and the track system is Italian-made, so it's amazing. So... At this point, Jose, to close you out on Zoom, any closing statements, Jose?

No, no. Listen, you know, I was concerned with the design, you know, how they build it. I'll leave it up to them. There's a lot of challenges. I'm building this house, but Pierre should be an incredible builder, right? The house has a lot of little challenges that I see, but that's not, I don't know.

Yes. The craftsmanship, I think, as the AOR argued that note, is going to be important.

Yeah, that would be great to visit that because we're always learning in this environment, especially when you're trying to do something that is not the normal solution. You know, like I'm looking at your roof and I'm looking for roof drains, and you're still too early for that.

Yeah, yeah. So, I mean, you removed the nanowall system. You just left one glazing system. I think that was the big move that was, I think, fantastic. And I think that's what Jose was referring to. And, of course, the poetry and the architecture with the reflectivity of the glass and the clean lines and all that, I think, is beautiful. You know, I think that... It's a contribution to South Florida modern architecture in the tropical sense here. So, you know, again, it's just we're questioning because we want to make sure that this is a great success, not just now, but as it gets, you know, inh

Correct. Yeah, any significant issue. In fact, we've seen now glass rails along the seawall and they come back to us. That becomes a thing because people have children and puppies that could drop into the water. So that's become an issue. I don't see that here. I also, for the record, the landscape plan that you have only says large palm, large tree, you know. I don't know if there's a requirement to be more specific with the species of the actual trees. Is that something the city looks at, as you said? No. Well, there's a legend here, right, with letters. Okay. The illustrative site plan is t

No, that's not been amended. Okay. So I think you got gumbo limbo's and all the other local plant materials that are normal in this context, fully irrigated. So yes, so any further discussion before we take it to a vote? No? Motion to approve?

Second. Okay. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Good luck with your project, and we'd love to see the evolution of this canopy in the future. And if we could visit this other project, some of us would be interested as well. So thank you. Thank you for the good work. Okay.

Appreciate it. We'll see you next time. Thank you, my friend.

choose another date possible okay so looking at the calendar here you guys could wrap it up we're just going to do some housekeeping here thank you this is the boring part of the meeting yes thank you thank you um so i'm looking at the schedule and actually this was right He's been staring at me. So the only concern there is April 2nd, right?

No. I mean... I could do other dates that don't conflict if this is a religious observation.

I mean, I'm okay with 1st or the second week of October as well. I have no idea what I'm doing in October at the moment, so... You know what you're doing in October?

Yeah, apparently you might have my old email, the JG, but I sent you my most recent one, JGomez. I just texted over to you. Okay. Can you email me that calendar? Because I'm checking all my emails. I don't have that email from you. Okay. All right.

What is March? What is the date for March?

Is it possible that we get Excel calendar invites from you on these days?

All right. Should we bring the meeting to closure? Okay. I think I got it. Okay. Meeting has been closed. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. Thank you, Jose.

Thank you, guys. My apologies for not being there.

All right. And if we can get our e-mails, I don't know how many of us are interested in the tour to learn because it's an educational tour. So just be careful.

It would be a good idea to see those products.

This is just to look at a product. Recording stopped. It would not affect this project. It's just to learn. It's a learning moment.

I have a two, my scooter is a two-seater, so no problem. Yeah, no, I, yeah, sunshine. Well, the quick solution is that we each visit independently. That's the easy way.

We need you in the White House, Susan. Sunshine. There's no sunshine in that lawn. There's too much sunshine.

All right. Bye, everyone. Take care, Jose. Bye-bye. See you. Thank you.