South Beach, Miami, is known for it’s lively colors, lively people and fabulous design. There are many hotels that have made news in the last couple years for their ingenious interior and exterior designs and the Mondrian South Beach Hotel Residences is one of them.
The Mondrian South Beach has undergone a $50 million renovation which included oversized studios, 1 and 2 bedroom hotel residences, penthouse hotel residences and four exclusive tower residences with spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay and the ever-changing Miami skyline.
Developed by the Morgan Hotel Group and designed by Marcel Wanders Studio, the Mondrian South Beach has 342 residences in fifteen stories, a 40 slip marina with dockmaster, Agua Spa, a state-of-the-art gym,and a world class five star restaurant.
Marcel Wanders
The two story, 20 foot high lobby includes a signature 4,000 square foot bar flowing onto the pool deck creating a one-of-a-kind lounge/bar atmosphere overlooking Biscayne Bay.
Marcel Wanders, a world-famous design star and an original member of the influential Droog collective in the Netherlands, conceived of the hotel as Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Guests enter a garden area that leads to the interiors. The gardens feature comfortable seating areas, an outdoor “sand” bar, a hanging chandelier above the glamorous pool, and cabanas for all ages, including tented play spaces with a sandbox and bouncy toys in the children’s area.
The property is a stone's throw from her sister hotels Delano South Beach and The Shore Club which are both located directly on Collins Avenue on Miami Beach. If the name Mondrian sounds familiar, it is because Morgans Hotel Group also owns Mondrian West Hollywood, which also has had a fantastic renovation.
A computer-generated version of the lobby area. This looks like the staircase to heaven… not a super swanky hotel lobby in Miami Beach. But alas! This laser-cut staircase stands amid the glossy marble floor and seems to go all the way up to… um…. heaven.
The completed version.
The all-white bar area, complete with thimble-like columns and another view of the lobby staircase.
Computer generated lobby area. Matching fabric on everything! Includes chairs, floor pillow seating areas, lamps and lampshades. The wire forms outside are the forms for the hedge canopies in the outdoor seating areas.
The computer-generated version of one of the lobby areas complete with sleeping beauty bells with chandeliers inside.
The completed version of the bells.
Lobby area with a stark contrast between the seating areas, black-painted floors and a 3-D face peering out at you. Wanders said, “In every room, we wanted to have someone who is the host, someone who is looking at you.” I find this strange, how about you?
Lobby area. I love the cut-out reliefs on the back wall, as well as the reception desk bejeweled in metallic tiles.
In lieu of solid walls, Wanders separated sleeping and bathing areas with a full-height pane of clear glass to create a loft-like bedroom suite; a curtain offers privacy if desired.
Very cool whirlpool tub unlike anything I’ve seen before. It looks more like an over-sized soapdish, but I love it!
Wanders kept floor plans as open as possible and created spatial continuity with continuous flooring that run throughout, even onto the open-air balconies. Here we see the fabric that was shown in the lobby area above, covering even the standing lamp.
Computer generated version of the bathroom area looking into the bedroom. The fairy-tale mirror mounted on the glass wall is very effective in this space that was created to be open and airy, taking advantage of the views.
Computer-generated room with the glass walls, damask wallpaper and beautifully patterned rugs.
The completed hotel rooms with three different black and white patterns flanking the floor and walls. It works because the furniture items in the room are simple and streamlined.
The opposite view of the room. The yellow is a great shock of color in this black and white space. The mirror is symbolic of the fairy tale stories that Wander is creating here.
Wanders with what looks to be his favorite wall treatment.
Computer-generated model of one of the apartment living spaces.
The completed living area, complete with another 3-D face peering out.
Indeed, his most fanciful design detail is also the most functional: showerheads in the form of crystal chandeliers that double as operable lighting fixtures. Beautiful!
“We just combined two ideas—water and light—it was very simple. In Dutch we call it vanzelfsprekend: it speaks for itself,” says Wanders. Wanders designed similar fixtures to hang over the outdoor swimming pool.
A living room in one of the apartments. The tiled wall is gorgeous and creates an incredible focal point for the room.
Modular couch given a busy fabric treatment of toile de Jouy set against beautiful sheer drapes.
The original digital rendering of the toile de Jouy conceived by Marcel Wanders for his curved sofas at the Mondrian South Beach in Miami.
Floor plan of a one bedroom apartment.
Check out this amazing new vending machine that will sell you both a toothbrush and 24 carat gold handcuffs...oh and a Bentley.
Even the vending machines are different! Doing away with a hotel gift shop and brushing off Marcel for a moment, the Mondrian brought in Mari Balestrazzi to reinvent an automat, called Semi-Automatic, for peddling their goodies. It's a great idea except for the fact that it only accepts credit cards and contains nothing edible. But, you can buy a toothbrush, 24 carat gold handcuffs (I’m not EVEN going there!) and a Bentley!
Asia de Cuba at Mondrian South Beach blends modern furniture conceived by Marcel Wanders with innovative menus, incorporating the best of Asian and Latin cuisines.
Another view in the Asia de Cuba restaurant.
The new Mondrian South Beach's Sunset Lounge is the setting for several glam parties.
Another seating area, complete with the toile de Jouy pattern designed by Wanders.
Mondrian patio with a view of the Miami Beach skyline. Again, they are using a palette of red and white. The canopied arches over the private seating areas have beautiful chandeliers for lighting.
The patio area with elegant seating, bulbous chandeliers and more of those fantastically patterned rugs.
The hotel’s sunset lounge provides views over Miami’s downtown skyline while golden candelabras and onyx jewel-cut stools are combined with ottomans and antiques creating contrasting visual elements.
Mondrian South Beach, 1100 West Avenue, Miami Beach,
(800) 606-6090.
