When Studio KHORA was named Best Luxury Residential Architect Studio in Florida, USA by Luxury Lifestyle Awards for 2024, the recognition was less about a single project than it was about a consistent architectural vision that has challenged, and reimagined, what luxury residential living means in the 21st century.

From their Miami and Fort Lauderdale base, principals Alex Penna and Rex Nichols have cultivated a design language that transcends trend. Their architecture doesn’t simply accommodate life; it provokes dialogue, ignites emotion, and situates clients within spaces that feel both timeless and radical.

A Philosophy Carved in Theory and Practice

Studio KHORA’s architectural vision is deeply rooted in deconstructivist theory, drawing inspiration from philosophers like Jacques Derrida, linguist Ferdinand de Saussure, and psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan. This conceptual lineage gives their work a level of intellectual rigor rarely seen in residential design. Their homes are not static monuments, but dynamic compositions — sculptural forms that interact with light, shadow, void, and context to challenge perception and invite reflection.

Rejecting nostalgia and stylistic pastiche, Studio KHORA avoids imitating Mediterranean villas or defaulting to tropical modernism. Instead, their work reads like architectural poetry. A soaring cantilever is never just structural — it becomes a metaphor for levitation, transcendence, and the desire to rise above the ordinary.

The G House: Coastal Monumentality

The studio’s G House project in Palmetto Bay, Florida, is a striking example of contemporary coastal architecture. Designed for a private client with a passion for clean lines, spatial purity, and sculptural form, this $50 million residence represents one of Studio KHORA’s most ambitious works to date — a 20,000-square-foot home that challenges convention while embracing its natural surroundings.

Set along Biscayne Bay, the house welcomes visitors with a private golf course approach, a reflecting pool, and a dramatic double-height glass entry. Its long cantilevers and geometric volumes feel weightless, as if suspended above the land and water — capturing movement through stillness, form through light.

Inside, the layout moves effortlessly between public and private zones, with each space unfolding in response to light, view, and form. A sunken outdoor lounge becomes the heart of the living area — a sculpted retreat that blurs the line between built space and natural surroundings. Floor-to-ceiling glass invites in sweeping views of the bay, while a vanishing-edge pool dissolves the threshold between home and horizon, creating a serene dialogue with the landscape.

Materials are refined yet resilient — exposed concrete, white stucco, vertical wood fins, and glass — selected for their timeless quality and ability to withstand the coastal climate. Above it all, a hidden rooftop terrace offers a quiet escape beneath the sky.

G House is not only expressive — it’s engineered for the realities of waterfront living. Elevated 17 feet above sea level, it’s built to meet Category 5 hurricane standards. Breakaway walls and deep foundation pilings add structural protection, while 20,000 square feet of preserved mangroves provide a living buffer against storm surge.

The result is a home that is visually compelling, environmentally responsive, and architecturally disciplined — a statement of what contemporary living can be when form, function, and philosophy come together.

Building Responsibly, Designing Sustainably

What makes Studio KHORA’s philosophy even more compelling is its deep-rooted commitment to sustainability. In the G House and beyond, the firm consistently exceeds Florida building codes — delivering five times the required wall insulation, using non-VOC materials, and integrating thermal hemp partitions to promote breathable, healthy interiors. Extended cantilevers are employed not only as aesthetic elements, but as passive solar devices — minimizing heat gain and maximizing shade. The master suite was strategically positioned to block direct summer sunlight, while simultaneously capturing the best views, identified long before the home’s footprint was ever drawn.

Outdoor spaces are designed with ecological sensitivity. The residence is intentionally set back from the mangroves — not only for preservation, but as a symbolic gesture of respect. The architecture unfolds gently along the site, allowing natural elements to remain undisturbed and, in essence, to breathe.

This ethos reflects a deeper conviction: that true luxury must coexist with responsibility. For Studio KHORA, sustainability isn’t an afterthought — it’s a catalyst for innovation, and a foundation for timeless contemporary design.

Recognition Rooted in Consistency

While the 2024 Luxury Lifestyle Awards is a career-defining milestone, Studio KHORA’s recognition extends well beyond this. The firm has been ranked among Ocean Home Magazine’s Top 50 Coastal Architects for eleven consecutive years, won 12 AIA awards for projects like the I House and G House, and earned repeated features in Florida Design Magazine.

Their reputation is not confined to Florida. Collaborations with Swedroe Architecture placed them as finalists in a design competition for Emaar Properties in Dubai, and partnerships with Coll-Barreu Arquitectos are expanding their reach into Europe. KHORA’s vision, though born in coastal Florida, is undeniably global.

More Than Luxury: A Movement

Perhaps Studio KHORA’s greatest achievement lies in the fact that their architecture is not easily categorized. While their homes are luxurious, they are also experiential works of art. Each project is a provocation, asking residents and visitors alike to reconsider their relationship to space, light, and culture.

Conclusion

As Florida’s coastline continues to evolve, Studio KHORA is shaping its future with bold architectural statements that honor both site and spirit. Whether through sculptural residences like the I House, culturally attuned projects like the G House, or conceptual explorations that may never be built, their work consistently expands the conversation about what luxury architecture can and should be.

For discerning clients, Studio KHORA offers a philosophy embodied in form, a living environment that challenges expectations, and an architectural experience that endures long after the first impression. Visit https://www.studiokhora.com/ for more.