The One Ocean development in the exclusive South of Fifth district of Miami Beach has been home to 50 luxury apartments spread over seven floors since 2016. In this building designed by the Mexican architect Enrique Norten (TEN Arquitectos), one resident has built the outdoor living space of his dreams on the patio of his penthouse. The area boasts a swimming pool, sunbeds, a lounge area, and much more – as well as an outdoor kitchen and dining area under two joined Camargue patio covers. It’s all a matter of being able to spend plenty of time outdoors, all year round – even on the seventh floor.

Premium location
One Ocean, in the desirable South of Fifth district on the southernmost tip of Miami Beach, is a prime location. There is an unobstructed view of the ocean and Miami Beach from the patio of one of the penthouses at the development. The original owner was not a fan of the planned finishing and decided to completely strip the apartment, including the patio. But the project stalled, and the apartment was sold in its unfinished state to the current owner. “We were able to buy the apartment ‘designer ready’ in 2018,” he recalls. “Once we completed the purchase, we immediately entered into talks with the interior designer who had worked with the first owner. It was a unique opportunity for us – especially in Miami Beach – to be able to create something exactly the way we wanted it.”

Outdoor living
For the owner, outdoor living had to be a core tenet in the design. “We like to host guests, and we enjoy living outdoors. We love the sun, but we prefer not to sit in direct sunlight. The designers came up with a concept for the outdoor living space. They came up with the sunbeds by the pool and a lounge area under the two umbrellas, but one of the most important ideas they developed was a patio cover with blades that tilt. That cover made it possible to install a dining area and outdoor kitchen on the patio, complete with worktops and a bar. The kitchen is fully equipped with a grill, sink, and icemaker. On top of that, there is a large television screen that is visible from the bar or while sitting at the dining tables. Thanks to the bladed roof, the screen is protected from the sun, preventing any annoying reflections. In the end, we managed to create our perfect outdoor living space, and we have already spent so much more time there than we ever imagined. And that’s mainly down to the patio cover that offers shelter from both the heat and rain.”

Joined Camargues
The installer, ShadeFLA, was brought onto the project by the interior designer. “Someone had recommended us for another project with the same interior designer,” Margueritte Ramos comments. “The first owner of the penthouse at One Ocean had also been in touch with us previously, so we were the ideal partner to develop the outdoor living space on this patio. The interior designer told us what she wanted to achieve on the patio, and we immediately recommended that two Camargues be joined together. These are an excellent choice in terms of design in any situation, and they are great in terms of user-friendliness too. They offer protection from the sun, which can be set by tilting the blades, but they also protect against the rain with the roof closed.”

Protection from the sun and rain
“In Miami, there’s a rain shower almost every afternoon,” the owner says from experience. “So it’s nice that you don’t have to run back indoors – instead, you just close the patio cover blades and sit it out. The drainage system, which diverts rainwater sideways via the columns, works perfectly.” The owner’s two sons, who are in their twenties, can also often be found on the patio. “My two boys often invite their friends to the patio. They watch movies there, they held a Super Bowl party, and so on. And when it starts to rain, the kids can take shelter under the patio cover, so they don’t end up bringing the chaos indoors,” Rudy laughs.

Hurricane resistance
“The only time when taking shelter might not be an option is when the wind picks up. Wind is a factor that you can never ignore in Florida. In fact, that’s exactly why we will soon be reaching out to ShadeFLA to see if they can fit external screens or sliding panels underneath our Camargues. That way, we can stay nicely sheltered outdoors in a stiff breeze as well.”

Speaking of storms: Florida has an official hurricane season from June through November. Over the course of an average season, the area might see around a dozen storms, so hurricane resistance is at the forefront of people’s minds. “The Camargues come with a ‘Miami Dade’ certificate, which is proof that they have successfully passed hurricane resistance tests. By the way, this certificate is mandatory everywhere in the state of Florida. And it comes in especially handy that, at the top of an apartment building, these certified patio covers can withstand wind loads of up to 320 km/h. With another brand, the storm-force wind might blow the patio cover off the building, but not so with Renson,” Margueritte asserts about the brand she distributes.

Privacy
The patio cover was also a good move for privacy reasons. “There are about 900 apartments from where it’s possible to look out over our patio, so the Camargue blades certainly offer us some much-needed privacy. In that respect, screens could also be an asset,” the owner believes.

Satisfied owner, interested neighbours
“I am extremely satisfied with the result,” the owner concludes. “We spend a lot of time underneath the Camargues on our rooftop patio. You’ll find me up there in the morning with my cup of coffee, and I enjoy working there on my laptop as well. We often have lunch in the afternoon there, and in the evening, we can enjoy an extensive dinner, or we can invite friends over to gather round the table. It really turned out to be the multifunctional outdoor living space of our dreams.”

“When our neighbours and friends come to visit us on the patio, they’re also blown away by this idyllic spot. They never fail to be impressed by the patio cover – in fact, I have already referred a number of people to Margueritte. There is now even a Camargue on the adjoining penthouse. What’s more, I know someone else who’s looking to buy a penthouse, and they already want the same patio cover. It’s nice to be a trendsetter,” the owner says with a wink.