Miami Beach certainly isn't hurting for luxury residences. But Aqua a new development spearheaded by Dacra Development is not your ordinary beachfront high-rise. Located on 8.5 acres at the southern tip of Miami Beach's Allison Island, Aqua was created to be a luxury beach community, with the emphasis on community. "Aqua will be a radical departure from the typical Miami Beach development - a 40 story tower with ocean views," says Craig Robins, president of Dacra. "Its emphasis will be on creating a village, offering not only beautiful views outward, but also cutting edge architecture within a rich community scenario." The key to Aqua is its mix of public spaces mid-rise buildings and contemporary homes. A network of tree-lines streets and public squares creates a cozy frame for stylish designs by an array of prominent New York architects. "The most innovative aspect of Aqua is how it merges traditional urbanism with modern architecture, resulting in a modernist neighborhood," says Robins. Aqua challenges the banal uniformity that is often found in area developments. The aesthetic qualities of the buildings provide a uniqueness that sets the community apart.

The three mid-rise buildings were designed by three different architects -Walter Chatham, Alison Spear and Alexander Gorlin - so that each structure would have its own personality. The Walter Chatham draws on the post-Art Deco period, using abstract lines, glass planes and geometric solids. The lobby evokes a tropical feel through colorful murals on the stark white interior.

The Alison Spear is designed as two linked buildings to offer tenants corner exposures and to give exceptional views to almost every unit. A sculptural, covered driveway frames the entrance.

The Alxander Gorlin is divided into four quadrants that point north, south, east and west. The building is crowned by a curved rooftop.

Since Aqua was designed to be a completely original community, it doesn't conform to typical standards. For instance, instead of offering the standard ocean view to selected units, the entire community is surrounded by water, and each resident experiences waterfront living. All of Aqua's streets terminate at the water, providing public access to the water's edge instead of tying the oceanfront property to specific residences.

"The master plan will provide a consistency in which each structure enhances the overall community design, yet leaves room for diversity and for the individuality of each home," says Robins.

KITCHENS AND BATHS SHINE
The interior of the units will have spacious rooms, high ceilings and state-of-the-art appliances. Emanuel Frattini-Magnusson of EFM Design, designed much of the interiors including the kitchens and bathrooms. Robins gave the designer an overall vision and let her come up with layouts that fit it. One criterion, however, was that the kitchens and baths reflect the units' luxury status. "We intentionally decided to double the quality of both the bathrooms and kitchens with optimal brands, taking into consideration design and function," says Robins.

For Magnusson, working on Aqua meant understanding the ideals behind the development. "Craig did not set rules. He expected us to understand the ideals behind the project," she says. Magnusson came up with several layouts, using materials such as marble, mosaic tile and limestone to create high-end looks.

In the bath, glass mosaic tiles surround the vanity. Counters are done in white marble; a gray limestone floor provides contrast. Highly stylized fixtures from Duravit were paired with Dornbracht faucets and Robern medicine cabinets to complete the design.

Magnusson chose Bulthaup for the kitchens. "There are a lot of exceptional ready-made kitchens on the market so it made sense to make that choice in this case," she says. "Bulthaup is one of the foremost companies on the world today. Its aesthetic is contemporary and we were able to choose materials that fin into the design," she adds. The standard finish for the Bulthaup kitchen is larch wood for cabinets with white Carrera marble and frosted glass backsplash. The design features stainless steel dividers, ventilation and various storage options. Clients can customize the kitchen, and Bulthaup can work with them directly through its Miami showroom.

THE MISTERY CLIENT
For Magnusson, working on Aqua was not an average project. "The big difference is you don't have a specific client. 'They don't tell you, 'This is what I want.' So you try to imagine what the client wants and determine a common denominator. Today, people want an open, functional kitchen with a workable layout. They want practicality and modern aesthetic created with beautiful products." Magnusson found working with the phantom client to be an intersting challenge. "You want to do something that is interesting, but can please many different people. It's a unique intellectual exercise." Construction on Aqua should be complete by 2003. Apartments will cost $350,000 - &2 million; private homes range from $800,000 to $2 million. KBB