Miami has been synonymous with modernism ever since architects like Morris Lapidus and L. Murray Dixon descended upon South Beach during the art deco era. Current-day Miami is home to numerous equally talented architects, including a handful — such as Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Kobi Karp and Rene Gonzalez — whom the Magic City can proudly call homegrown.
Yet, as this stunning property suggests, few have a flair for blending modernism with monumentalism quite like Chad Oppenheim. Set in the exclusive estates section of Bal Harbour, 252 Bal Bay Drive is a new-build, eight-bedroom waterfront estate sprawling over 14,000 square feet. Along with a private dock and translucent infinity-edge pool, the home comes with a pair of indoor tropical gardens, as well as a second-floor art gallery, all for a purchase price of $36 million.
The entire space is almost as beautiful as the woman occupying it on these pages, model Inés Rivero — who was born in Argentina and now calls Miami home. She’s an avid art admirer — and founding member of the Collectors Council at the Pérez Art Museum Miami — who will be making appearances at numerous Art Basel events this week. Rivero says comfortable shoes and patience for traffic are the best ways to survive Miami’s Basel-week mayhem — along with, perhaps, an elegant retreat like this Bal Harbour manse to rest in while waiting for the next show.
— David Kaufman
Eres bikini top, $285, and bottoms, $165, both at Net-A-Porter.com. FREDERIC PINET
