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outside
thE Box Jacksonville architect creates a modern oasis at the beach words by JULIET JOHNSON // images by AGNES LOPEZ
When asked about his magnificent marble sculpture of Biblical hero David, Michelangelo is said to have replied that “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” Architects normally work the other way around—first combining blocks, or “massings,” before regining the perimeter into a logical, pleasing design, or formal architectural style (such as Victorian, Prairie, Arts and Crafts, for example).
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t 35th and 1st streets in Jax Beach, a new movement is unfolding. A few houses are startlingly different. There are four of them now, each an assembly of rectangular shapes, modern colors, balconies, porches and decks— more colorful than Miami’s South Beach, more cubist, architecturally, than contemporary. Architect Mark Macco is responsible for one of the homes, which he built for himself and his partner, Sam. Like all great works of cubist architecture, its blocks are massed in a series of geometrical shapes, sometimes interlocking, sometimes dissecting. Each mass is emphasized with its own color, yet with this arrestingly attractive home, it’s
a
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about how much of each cuboid has been taken away that creates the visual excitement. With the building’s profile, Macco has pulled out an imposing brown bulkhead, and then removed much of it to create a balcony that connects the two guest suites on the second floor. The bulkhead complements the site, and by recalling a ship’s profile, provides a nautical reference beyond the usual rope, life preserver rings and wooden pelican on a weathered post. The building can be viewed in perspective with ease. It is unfussy, but with dramatic angles, softened by gentle color contrasts in the palette of a seaside—sky blue, sand, cream and brown. Macco wanted the home to be “a little more masculine, a little more angular,”
which resulted in a recurring design motif of rectangles in relief. Rarely do you see a design motif carried through a home as fully and creatively. The ode to rectangles in relief begins with an accent wall in the foyer. He wanted to feature the warm light and western sunsets somewhere in the house, without including a space that was open to the street. Plus, Macco favors interesting termination points. Thus, the accent wall of Hawaiian stone. Rectangular, frosted glass panels built in to the front door allow light to filter through, casting what the architect calls “interesting shadows on the funky cut, square-ish blocks of lava rocks.” The artistic effect creates a particularly exciting feature wall in the evening.
Above and right: A brown leather sectional is the a comfy place to watch television; The 3' x 3' tiles are Mark’s own design lit overhead by a contemporary chrome chandelier.
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Turn the corner, passing an elevator and a dog room/downstairs laundry, and visitors enter a substantial open space the width of the house, with a kitchen, family room, dining room and music room in each quadrant. The couple are frequent entertainers, often hosting as many as 100 people at a time, and because Sam is a big cook, there is a sizable pantry—“a true caterer’s kitchen”— between the kitchen and garage. “Everyone always gravitates to the kitchen so why not make the kitchen the house?” asks Macco. Wenge cabinets, speckled gray granite countertops and stainless appliances create a contemporary workspace; three pendant lights (by Tech Lighting in Chicago) add color as do fresh, flowering plants. The area is set off visually by a floating soffit; a row of three windows above the cabinets continues thematic integration and offers light. Four white leather-backed chairs, sourced at ScanDesign, provide seating for four. Tall ceilings with floor-to-ceiling sheers and massive glass doors produce an elegant ambiance. The sectional sofa features one of the few curves in the space, echoed by the grand piano. The
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custom built-ins feature Mark and Sam’s glass collection, curated over their 15 years together. A playful, glass-topped coffee table has a base of intersecting silver rings. It is a graceful note in such an angular space and connects another large horizontal surface—the round dining room table. A neighboring sideboard has chrome-ringed pulls on the drawers and an interesting gathering of champagne flutes forms a teepee of light above. The tiled art is by Macco, who paints in his spare time. A grand piano not only lends a cultured feel to the open space, it is also practical. Macco is a trained tenor who sings and also plays piano by ear. (Search his name on YouTube and you’ll find his rendition of Romanza performed during a fundraiser for the Jacksonville Museum Of Contemporary Art.) The floors are created from white porcelain tile with a rectified edge, so that the grout lines are barely visible. What scant lines there are line up perfectly with a more durable version of the same tile outside, where a charming patio transitions the journey from house to pool. A Mondrian-inspired wall frame the neighbors house, which is similarly
Cubist, and displays a few pieces from the couple’s pottery collection. Pretty rain chains on the home’s perimeter—in lieu of the usual aluminum gutters— guide water away from the patio. A pool beckons with royal cobalt blue tile and a shell-studded fountain near the hot tub. A trip up a Brazilian wood staircase takes guests to the second floor. A hallway terminates dramatically at each end with a beautifully contemplative painting called The Lonely Boat at one end and an open-shelved wall at the entry to the master bathroom at the other. Two guest suites have their own Four Seasons bathrooms with oblong sinks, granite countertops, seamless glass shower doors and chic chrome fixtures. Guests are wellprovisioned here. Each bedroom has a lively accent wall, one a rich yellow, the other a fearless green. Dynamic accent walls are a feature in the home’s bedrooms; the master has a blue one. The guest bedrooms connect via a spacious west-facing balcony beneath a brown bulkhead. There are three balconies in all on the bedroom floor, three is a second recurring visual theme throughout the property.
Above and left: Stairways are kept clean thanks to the use of an elevator for carrying anything bulky; Solid crystal votive holders add small but mighty punches of color in the master bathroom; A patio connects the pool to the house; Mark leans against what he says are the “largest sliding doors they make.�
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At the other end of the house, greeting the morning sun, is the master suite. A white tufted headboard against an azure blue walls feels very “Greek Isles,” and the blue continues along the floor with a pert polka-dot-tufted rug, already in the throes of decrepitude thanks the couple’s enthusiastic golden retrievers. The master bathroom features two vanities, a sumptuous soaking tub and an enviable steam shower. Wavy glass tile evokes the ocean, which is less than a block away. A wide balcony connects both the bedroom and the bathroom. Open the doors and the ocean’s roar at high tide can be heard day and night. A massive walk-in closet may hold clothes, but its focal point is a large, strik-
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ingly powerful painting of fresh ginger that used to grow in the couple’s garden at their last house in Ponte Vedra. The closet also accesses the main upstairs laundry room and the elevator, which is used only for travel (so heavy bags don’t scuff up the pristine white walled staircase) and for their aging parents. A stunning third-floor terrace rewards with ocean views and glorious panoramic vistas. On the rear of the roof are solar panels. In less than six months of residence, Macco says the couples’ utility bills have dropped to $50 a month. This is not their forever home because Macco says he can’t pass a lot without mentally designing the perfect house for it (he’s also only 49 years old). He has serious
Above: The hot tub is used year-round; the pool provides a rippling backdrop.
doubts that “this will be it,” but says that the house is “fairly complex, made to look effortless and simple—which is actually hard to do.” Hard, but not impossible for this renaissance man who worked hard to think outside the box of cubist architecture. ]
Granite: First Coast Supply Cabinetry: River City Custom Cabinets Electrical: Jason Moore, Moore Electric Lighting: Tech Lighting, Chicago