_________________________________________________________________________________________________ Main interview
each of them . We ’ re able to assemble great teams , which is another aspect I think sets us apart . For the sort of clients we work with – billionaires , or owners of sports teams , for example – we have to be able to collaborate and listen to a range of designers and architects to bring to life one vision .
And the homes are indeed beautiful . Are there any projects that you are particularly proud of ? One project stands out because we successfully introduced the first modern home in a traditionally Mediterranean-style neighborhood . It ’ s called Casa Costanera , and is the first B & B Italia custom furnished and designed home in the US , resting on 0.45 acres of land located in Cocoplum . Miami Beach is known for its contemporary , flat roof waterfront homes , where as the Coral Gables suburb was more Mediterranean , with terracotta-tiled roofs , and we had to get planning permission and advocate for this flat-roof home to be designed and built in a more traditional area . But we were doing something special , and we succeeded . We worked with Francesco Farinas , the CEO of B & B Italia , to create some special components for indoor and outdoor living . This project is one of my favorites because we proved that you should never let limits hinder your design abilities . Some might say that building in cities is a hindrance because of their bureaucratic nature , but if that ’ s your outlook , you ’ ll never achieve new innovations , nothing will evolve . So , we learnt that if we have a vision , and we believe in the vision enough , we can make it happen , and that ’ s exactly what we did with Casa Costanera . city has a different set of rules depending on the State you ’ re in . This makes procedures
within the building process slower than it really needs to be . Hopefully , with the future of innovative smart homes , that might help . Furthermore , in the affordable housing sector , streamlining processes will improve costs and efficiency , which means we can lower the cost for the client .
Finally , what is your five-year vision for the company ? As long as we can continue to create beautiful homes , I ’ m happy . I ’ d love to see us strengthen our collaborative approach and become experts in the ultra-luxury sector , and that will mean focusing on our ability to bring together the dream teams for the most unique properties around the world . ■
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When you consider the homebuilding industry overall , what sort of restrictions or challenges are currently influencing growth in the industry ? I think documentation and management within the permitting process could be more standardized . At the moment , every modernhb . com 13