Isom House

Plantation Key, Florida

1991

             We had designed the Plantation Animal Hospital for Dr. Isom 20 years earlier. He loved the Florida Keys and he loved fishing, and was gradually turning responsibility for his practice over to his younger associates. His first impulse was for what he referred to as a "fishing shack" built mostly of wood. However, Hurricane Andrew struck South Florida during the design process, which was very sobering, and concrete became the wiser choice. Only the roof remained a wood heavy timber structure.
             Coastal codes there required elevating the living areas above hurricane tidal surge, so the idea was to locate the concrete columns on the outside and extending up to visually support only the roof, thereby lending a lighter, more graceful feeling to the heavy concrete part of the structure. Windows are dual jalousies with external wood slats for sun shading, privacy and security. The site was landscaped with local salt friendly plant material.