HUMANIZING THE URBAN REALM
“As it’s been said, “the house is a machine for living,” and the kitchen is the most functional elements of that machine. Italkraft brings a great depth of experience when it comes to creating environments that serenade the composition of space and serve the posture of their function. As a part of our extended design team, the cathexis of their art form is transcendent”. – Borges + Associates
“Our work is a continuation of many modern architectural masters that have come before us, a derivative of culture and context,” divulges Reinaldo Borges, Principal and CEO of the internationally acclaimed practice of Borges + Associates.
Elevate sits down with partners Reinaldo Borges and Alice Dahbura–Borges to discuss the avidity of responsive building and the thoughtfulness of design that embodies their vision.
ELEVATE: The humanness and very ethic of design are in creating solutions that have impactful measures. What are some of the environmental challenges we are facing in the South Florida marketplace and how are you a part of that?
B + A: As architectural activists and as Chairman of the A1A Miami Sea Level Rise Task Force, our primary concern is that South Florida could become ”water world”. Water is both a blessing and a serious deterrent to the livability of our communities. With the rise of our Sea Level, we not only have to adapt to these climatic related stresses, but we also have to learn how to embrace them by modifying codes as a new standard. We bring a value-added approach with proactive strategies to our projects in an adaptable flexible format that’s built into the resiliency of the initial groundwork. We are also innovating concepts of what we call ”platform cities” which starts to envision a new way of coastal living. South Florida has the opportunity to be innovative in the way we see a future not entirely imagined.
ELEVATE: How do you harness the directives of design to reflect, contribute and connect with the essential elements that enhance our overall well being?
B + A: In constructing the modern home throughout coastal regions, the purposeful stride of transterior design is to create functional environments that embrace the views of sea and landscape. Lighting plays a crucial role in harnessing the nuances of detail. We enjoy a minimalistic approach to introducing warmth into a space through the minutiae of blending textures that add a subtlety of gesture in the lightness of combined materials. Simplistic elegance is all about creating different perspectival layers of visibility to maximize the opportunities of outdoor living at various dimensions. The tiered patios that embody the surrounding property enhance the beauty of the infrastructure.
ELEVATE: Recognizing that human beings are part of nature, three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments are movement, transformation, and structure. How does one begin to dialogue them into the architectural balance?
B + A: We enjoy the horizontality of our residences. The overhangs and cantilevers’ create a spatial experience that creates a corporeal sensation and at the same time reduce direct solar penetration. In studying the effects of natural light, we map out a tactical interior layout that cohesively works with the illumination of a space.
ELEVATE: The Art of design in development is more than its physical surroundings. How do you tune in to each individualized client’s mind-body-spirit connection to an environment to emote the experience?
B + A: Often at times, we design for the end user and or the home buyer, and get to study their lifestyle, personal living habits and see what their influences are. However; the mass majority of our clientele is the spec developer. Whether it be single family homes; Retail and Entertainment centers, Health and Educational Complexes, civil architecture, mixed-use high-rise developments, and luxury hotels we take into consideration the objectives of their lifestyle and the heritage of the city. We are hired to bring a layer of personality that complements the billboard of the exterior into the interior space.
Photos Courtesy of Borges + Associates