The South Florida-based architecture practice Brillhart Architecture has cemented itself as the region's experts on Florida's local building traditions by highlighting its roots within the realm of Tropical Modernism. Within Florida's humid, rainy climate, Brillhart founders, Jacob and Mellisa Brillhart, emphasize the importance of incorporating the surrounding landscape into their buildings while also working to fine tune each space's ability to evoke emotional responses from its occupants.
One of the firm’s most recognizable and celebrated works is the duo's own private residence, the Brillhart House. When asked about the details and motivations behind the project, they explain, "The design for our house relies on a back-to-the-basics approach – specifically studying old architectural models that care about good form but are also good for something. Each design decision was organized around four central questions that challenge the culture for building big: what is necessary; how can we minimize our impact on the earth; how do we respect the context of the neighborhood, and what can we really build?"
At first glance, the house fits seamlessly within the lush Florida landscape. Situated within the palm trees and southern foliage, the home emits a calm and almost idyllic tone.
Typical of traditional Florida’s outdoors-loving building types, the single-family residence connects inside and outside in more ways than one. Keen on honoring a "forgotten American Vernacular," the house exudes a blend of Florida's postwar architectural heritage with a mixture of French doors and louvred window walls that give the home a special Floridian quality.
The home's construction resembles iconic Florida Crack Architecture, according to the architects, which is a building style typical in Florida and other Gulf Coast areas. The primary characteristics of this housing style are recognized by wood-frame construction, raised floors, straight hallways located within the center of the home, and the wide verandas that wrap around the entirety of the residence.
Due to the area's humid climate, the construction of these homes was highly dependent on passive heating and cooling systems. As a result, the 1500-square-foot property fosters an easy blend between interior and exterior spaces. Staying consistent with traditional "shotgun" or "dogtrot" style hallways, the interior space flows from front to back.
The Brillhart's explain, "we sought an alternative to the use of concrete and concrete only, instead exploring steel and glass as the superstructure. As a result, we wasted fewer materials, simplified the assembly, and reduced the cost and time of construction, all the while allowing for increased cross ventilation and a heightened sense of living within the landscape."
Katherine is an LA-based writer and editor. She was Archinect's former Editorial Manager and Advertising Manager from 2018 – January 2024. During her time at Archinect, she's conducted and written 100+ interviews and specialty features with architects, designers, academics, and industry ...
5 Comments
Presumably 'Florida Crack Architecture' is a reference to "Florida cracker architecture"?
I wonder if there's been a move to change the name of Florida Cracker?
Brillhart's portfolio is one of true brilliance. Their team is able to propose a vernacular language that contemporary sough Florida needs. They are loyal to an academic foundation of research and abstraction resulting in powerful ideas. I wish they would allow their studio to grow so that their influence in the city would expand.
lol, this comment made me imagine it is one of the co-founders, who is currently arguing with their spouse about whether or not to hire more people.
I don't know about these folks in particular, but the difficult economics of owning a small architecture firm in the US certainly holds back a lot of talented people. Frankly, I think Brillhart does better work than several of starchitects I can think of.
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