PROCIDA|TMWL is an affordable housing community development located west of Federal Highway, in Homestead, in Miami-Dade county.  TMWL ‘s Christian based mission is to provide opportunities and resources for families in the area. These services include after school care, various educational classes and community services. 

The development is located in the Southwest Neighborhood Master Plan area, mandating a compact, pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use neighborhood and includes the desire for a creation of a pedestrian friendly, livable community spaces where residents can walk and bike to jobs and neighborhood amenities.

In support  of the Master Plan goal of “a unique and memorable place that reflects the successful blending of Florida architecture with the cultural and traditional context of this diverse community,” the proposed TMWL/Procida multifamily housing development is comprised of a single building of 115,000SF with 100 units, 102 on site parking spaces and resident amenities.   Sited on the south side of community partner, Touching Miami With Love campus, the development includes 1, 2 and 3-bedrooms.  On a corner site, opposite Blakely Park, the  proposal is an “L-shaped” building that undulates along the street edges, creating inviting pockets of landscape and shaded trees.  The main entrance to the development is located on the south-east corner. 

Per the Master Plan, the “homes are also built closer to the street to provide more contact between people and their neighbors as well as the perception of a safer neighborhood with “eyes” on the street.”

The design approach is rooted in influences of Florida and Caribbean architecture, “design excellence, color, materials, lush landscaping, and an architectural style that combines a mixture of Caribbean (commonly seen in the Key West style of architecture) and Florida vernacular architecture — a style that could be called “Floribbean.”  Common traits in both the Caribbean style and Florida vernacular include expressive use of color, building articulation and “practical” elements that address the subtropical context.  These include overhangs, canopies, balconies as well as the use of pattern and colorful facades, punctured window openings, primarily vertical in orientation. 

A chevron shaped plan creates pockets of spaces for Florida native landscape and undulates throughout for visual interest and massing reduction.  The masonry constructed building using forms and materials that work in tandem with the subtropical climate, with bright color painted stucco, decorative concrete blocks, punched opening windows and balconies that take take advantage of shade and cross ventilation.   Of significance for sustainable design, are the overhangs, porches and verandas that keep the interior spaces cooler and provide added outside living space. Each unit has a balcony, with decorative block, separated at key nodal points by the main community room and administration which extend to the outside.

Influenced by Florida architecture, pattern plays an important role in the design approach, reducing the overall scale of the building with increased texture and pattern at the base of the building providing detail interest for pedestrians and lowering the perceived scale of the building, as well as extending vertical, to emphasize the rhythm and cadence of each bay.   Decorative elements provide a varying array of shade and shadows on the façade.

The development is exploring maximizing resilient design solutions, to reduce the buildings overall carbon footprint and maintain low energy costs for the resident.  This includes the use of non-VOC materials, recycled materials, solar panels for common areas and water storage in cisterns for landscape irrigation.  Florida native landscaping reduces the requirement for city water consumption.