Project Details
Project Description
The client had been renting different condominiums in Bay Colony and when they were sure that was the location they wanted to live in, they bought a residence on the 16th floor with a beautiful gulf view. They wanted a modern kitchen to replace the current traditional "U Shaped" kitchen. As we were reviewing the space, we looked at the small island that the current kitchen had and thought - "what if we create a long island and create a galley kitchen, redo the wet bar in the living and open up the space?" Since the cabinets are manufactured in Italy and the summer was fast approaching we had to jump on the design and get the owner's approval quickly. We proceeded with the vision and created the drawings in Revit, thereby showing the owner a 3D perspective as well as the traditional plan layouts. With the plans and budget approved by the client, we were off to the races, but we still had greater logistics to deal with. We knew were the plumbing stacks were on the tower, but we would have to completely change the current plumbing layout which would affect the residences below us. We received approval from the condominium board to proceed with the plumbing modifications, but this would require for us enter the residence below and remove their drywall ceiling in order to access the existing plumbing lines. Part of this operation would involve coring into the post tension slab which required us to do non destructive testing in order to locate all rebar and post tensioning cables. We used of a ground penetrating radar equipment to help us identify the location of the new cores for the bar and kitchen sink. We were all set to proceed when the condominium board informed us that the resident below decided not to allow us to enter their unit for the modifications. What! With the kitchen cabinets ordered and already on the ship to the USA, we were thinking of what can we do? Modify the kitchen to the original layout and order infill pieces in order to reconfigure? We sold the “Vision” to the client; they wouldn’t want a new kitchen with the original layout of the sink and enclosed space. We dug into the building drawings and found a sanitary waste stack in the residence next door that might have be an option. We had to verify the capacity of the stack, and then get approval from this home owner and just maybe, it will work. We got approval; we did some selective demo behind their bathroom shower and determined that we could make it work but it would be tight. All that was left was to core through a 12” concrete wall and come through at the right spot. It was a challenge....the team kept pushing for the Vision and we are glad that we were able to make it happen. The final effect was breathtaking! Our client has a one of kind kitchen at the Biltmore in Bay Colony, Naples. EBL - Envision. Build. Live
