Florida Design - June 2005
15th Anniversary Issue – Special Collector’s
Edition 15 Chic Design Styles
Echoes of the Aegean Sea
A Miami Beach Estate Appears Plucked From the Greek
Isles
By De Scholfield
If it’s true that one cannot improve upon
perfection than builder/designer John Turchin has achieved the
impossible. His waterfront estate, located on Hibiscus Island
in Miami Beach, presents a compelling architectural
composition that gives new meaning to the term “creative white
space.”
“My real passions are designing unique
things and surrounding myself with art and artists” says
Turchin, whose provenance in Miami-area real estate includes
being a third-generation residential high-rise builder.
When building this full-time residence
for his wife, Susan, an artist and jewelry designer, and their
tow adult children, Turchin totally indulged himself. The
house is so replete with hand-hewn craftsmanship and artisan
touches, that, paradoxically, some of its most distinguishing
features are the missing ones. ‘There are no 90 degree angles,
no smooth plasterwork, and nothing that is perfectly straight
or square,” Turchin says.
“Everything was done by and in a
freeform, deliberately imperfect manner to lend an aged,
timeless look.”
Characterized as a modernist
interpretation of Greek Mediterranean style, the home presents
a collage of styles inspired by the Turchin's favorite
vacation spots. “We wanted to mesh our top resort destinations
into one design, something that captured the best of the
Southwest adobe. Mexican and Greek island styles with strong
ties to the outdoor Environment,” he explains.
To help design the project, Turchin hired
conceptual designer Dado Guaschino a friend and business
associate, architect Les Beilinson.
“This house was not meant to be an
elegant palazzo. It was meant to have the feel of a Greek
farmhouse by the sea, so you don’t want to be too careful
about finishes,” says Guaschino, whose Italian Mediterranean
roots and extensive travels to Hawaii and Indonesia helped
articulate some of the home’s most prominent features. The
formally trained artist and self-taught designer provided
schematic drawings for the interior and exterior.
“We were trying to come up with an
alternative to the traditional Mediterranean-style home.”
Beilinson adds. “John and Susan had been to Greece the summer
before and returned with a lot of photos as inspirational
points.”
The resulting layout, Beilinson
continues, is an adoption of Greek island style – a tropical
environment that’s livable 365 days a year without air
conditioning. An abundance of open-air spaces, including the
living and dining areas and multiple rooftop terraces, blur
the line between indoors and out. “It’s an extremely efficient
plan that emulates the Mediterranean concept of taking full
advantage of every bit of space,” Turchin says.
The estate, which features three main
houses and several additional structures, easily accommodates
the privacy and entertainment needs of four adults. The
two-story main house includes the main living areas as well as
the master suite; the east house comprises the living quarters
for the children an quest quarters; and the west house
accommodates all secondary living and work spaces.
Entertainment terraces top the roofs of each house, while a
moat surrounds the entire compound with interconnecting
waterways.”
“Everything lends itself to entertaining
on a grand scale,” Turchin says, “its not unusual for us to
have 800 or 900 people here for pool parties.”
Turchin and his wife directed the design
of the interior in collaboration with Guaschino, who led a
creative team to complete the project. Designer Susana
Henriques helped the Turchin's select fabrics befitting the
neutral palette. Inside and out, marble, concrete and white
stucco work in concert with natural materials.
In the main house, ceiling beams made of
Florida cypress define the foyer and living area, where custom
sofas define two separate groupings. Colorful silk accent
pillows pop against the white Ultra suede upholstery. Here and
there, artifacts from around the world lend an exotic touch.
The living area opens to the kitchen and
breakfast bar, where Elkhorn barstools pull up to a curved bar
with iron-grate covering and a marble countertop. Marble also
forms the flooring here and throughout the main buildings.
Above the island, a steel ventilation hood provides a striking
focal point. Nearby, the stairway wall was transformed into
wine storage with barrel-tile cubbies for individual bottles
of wine.
Roofed but open to the elements the
adjacent dining loggia features an Ecuadorian hardwood,
Spanish-style table with a 12-foot-long bench along one side.
Sheer draperies blow in the wind, asking to the private resort
atmosphere.
Encompassing the second floor of the main
house, the master suite showcases Turchin’s design, such as
the cypress-log bed and bedside table. The suite includes a
master bath as well as an outdoor sitting area for relaxing in
the breeze.
Through the east and west houses server
different purposes, they have one thing in common. Each boasts
multilevel, Grecian-style pools that overlook Biscayne Bay.
“I’m inspired every day by my
surroundings,” Turchin says, “This house is proof that living
in a vacation mindset is a great stimulation for creativity.”
This house has drawn international
attention as a favorite location for movies, magazine and
catalog shoots, a video music awards show, and numerous
fashion spreads.
