Architectural firm Choeff Levy Fischman is designing its first project in Fort Lauderdale: a sprawling mid-century, modern home – with a tropical twist. The home was purchased by Giovani Bernard of the Cincinnati Bengals in April 2018, and is expected to be completed next summer.  

The one-story, single-family residence sits on a pie-shaped 18,245 square-foot lot. It will feature four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a theater, pool, and 4,762 square feet of indoor space. The open layout design and floor-to-ceiling glass doors will emphasize South Florida’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle and the Tropical Modern design that Choeff Levy Fischman is known for.  

Setting the tone for warm interiors, the architects are incorporating exposed, poured-in-place concrete, South American Ipe wood and smooth stucco to the walls, white Oak wood flooring throughout, and exotic stone in the bathrooms. The NFL player’s kitchen will boast matte gray acrylic cabinetry, quartz countertops and a custom backsplash. 

Designed with South Florida’s top natural environmental challenges in mind, the residence will include onsite stormwater management, which will minimize the impact on the City’s stormwater sewer and will eliminate toxic runoff into the Bay. The residence is also built one foot higher than code requirements with a newly raised dock and seawall designed to address ongoing sea level rise. Additional green features implemented into the design include low-e glazing to minimize solar heat gain and glare, and a high-albedo roofing system and spray insulation to minimize heat transmission into the residence.  

Choeff Levy Fischman is providing both the architecture and interior design for the residence.