In the Beginning

The History

Charlie Roman loved Miami and its tropical weather. He wanted to settle here in a home uniquely designed for the climate. He knew that across the world, tropical locations built their houses on elevated platforms. The elevation yielded fewer critters and more refreshing breezes. This is where the idea of the “floating” Jetsons House was born. Working with the famed architect, Rufus Nims, this historical treasure began to take shape.

Charlie’s research indicated that a concrete slab would be the most economical construction method to achieve such elevation. However, it was 1948 and the effects of WWII were still being felt. It ultimately fell to Mr. Roman and his builder to perform much of the labor, plan out the site, and finish all the details. While there is no way to verify for certain, it is possible this was the first site in South Florida construction where the entire weight of the building was carried by the columns and not the exterior walls.

Mr. Roman’s main motivations were his limited budget, a need for cross ventilation, and a desire to maintain privacy from his neighbors. These three factors — plus his choice of architect — were the formula that resulted in the Jetson House. Literally elevating the house when the neighborhood of Morningside was almost exclusively single family homes, meant the breeze would not be blocked by neighbors. This was a time when Morningside had fewer trees, giving the house an unobstructed view of Biscayne Bay.

The original landscaping (which no longer exists) was designed to increase cooling for the house. Every tree was planted to provide shade to both interior and exterior areas depending on the time of day. There were no trees by the pool on the east side for morning swim enjoyment, but trees lined the west side to protect the living areas from the hot afternoons. Rufus Nims, the architect, hoped this particular design would become commonplace in Miami. He said, “Homes which are comfortable for the climate are rare, and homes which are native in character are practically non-existent.”

30 Years Later

The house belonged to the original owner until 1975. Later a couple lived in the house until they moved due to old age, and after that, it sat vacant until 2015. A developer bought it hoping to renovate and live in it, but construction took too long, and it came up for sale again in 2020. We bought it after a different developer failed to come up with the money in time.

The house has immense architectural and historic value, but it needs a complete renovation. The floor plan is awkward, with no interior staircase connecting the upper and lower floors, and there is no kitchen on the bottom floor. It’s unclear why it was designed this way, but it isn’t practical for current living standards.

It is interesting to mention that other architects have proposed designs to rehabilitate the existing home but all of them “killed” the essence of the original design which has an elegant lightness and, of course, that gorgeous curved staircase.

Our Beginning

The project’s main hurdle was the length of the design process. It is always difficult to balance design, value, and practicality. This becomes difficult when working with an existing structure, and even more so when trying to keep some of the original design integrity.

Ultimately we decided to go with a new design that kept more of the original value but sacrificed some potential square footage. We will be sharing the design/decision process in our upcoming installments. Stay Tuned!