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Architect Miami - A Complete Resource of Architectural Information - Read our blog postings below

MUSINGS ON ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, & PUBLIC POLICY

If you are reading this page, we hope that you are interested in Miami architecture, interior design, and public policy.

You can learn much about our architecture and construction issues by reading these articles below. It will help you with your future project.

Send me any comments by email at MLC@UnitedArchs.com

Maria Luisa Castellanos, Reg. Architect, LEED AP
President
United Architects, Inc.
Miami, Florida

Why should you buy & remodel a house & consider using your IRA to do it?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Aug 14
2 min

Why should you buy & remodel a house & consider using your IRA to do it?

This blog post is about why a person should buy and remodel in this environment and consider using his IRA.

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4 Stages of a Successful Remodel in Coral Gables: Do you want to give your house a new look?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Aug 6
2 min

4 Stages of a Successful Remodel in Coral Gables: Do you want to give your house a new look?

4 Stages of a Successful Remodel in Coral Gables, Florida

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How do I plan a house near the ocean? What are the issues?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Aug 1
4 min

How do I plan a house near the ocean? What are the issues?

This article is about planning for a house near the ocean, by Maria Luisa Castellanos, United Architects, an architectural firm in Miami.

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3 Things that you need to know for planning your future home addition

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jul 25
3 min

3 Things that you need to know for planning your future home addition

3 Issues to look into before embarking on adding an addition to your home in Miami.

16 views1 comment

Are you tired of looking at old houses and thinking of building from scratch?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jun 17
3 min

Are you tired of looking at old houses and thinking of building from scratch?

This is an article about buying land for building a new house. It details what to look for in a residential site, what things to check.

21 views0 comments

Now that you can't move, do you want to remodel? Do your planning first!

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jun 10
2 min

Now that you can't move, do you want to remodel? Do your planning first!

The is a post about remodeling when you can't move, but to plan ahead emotionally and physically for the remodeling.

16 views0 comments

Do you really want to get your plans permitted by the City of Miami quickly?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

May 17
3 min

Do you really want to get your plans permitted by the City of Miami quickly?

This article is about how to get your City of Miami plans get through the city quickly for a new building.

16 views0 comments

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Nov 14, 2021
2 min

Granny Flats – should we build them?

The Miami 21 Zoning Code for the City of Miami allows what it calls “Granny Flats” in certain areas, specifically T3-L.

512 views0 comments

How involved should you be in your project? Who picks the finishes?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jun 21, 2021
3 min

How involved should you be in your project? Who picks the finishes?

This post is about the design process and whether the architect or the client will shop for the finishes.

34 views0 comments

So you got your permit. Now what? The 6 Phases of Construction

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Mar 22, 2021
5 min

So you got your permit. Now what? The 6 Phases of Construction

So you got your permit for your building, what happens now? This outline of the phases is for a small building in Coral Gables or Miami

54 views1 comment

So you want to build a new house. Do you know how to pick a site for it?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Feb 20, 2021
2 min

So you want to build a new house. Do you know how to pick a site for it?

This article discussed 5 issues to consider when buying a site for a new home.

15 views0 comments

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Feb 8, 2021
2 min

Space Matters

Whenever I go anywhere I notice the space. I doubt other people are as aware of the space. Learn factors which may have an influence.

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Do we want tourists to see this – the entrance to Downtown Miami Government Center and Metrorail?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jan 27, 2021
1 min

Do we want tourists to see this – the entrance to Downtown Miami Government Center and Metrorail?

The approach to the downtown Government Center Metrorail and Metromover Station looks like this as we approach from the east. It is the...

30 views0 comments

Adaptive Reuse - Will This Become a Trend in Miami

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jan 19, 2021
2 min

Adaptive Reuse - Will This Become a Trend in Miami

After the pandemic is over, what will happen to all the commercial office space available in Downtown Miami and other areas. Will people...

29 views0 comments

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Aug 5, 2020
1 min

Does your space work for you?

In these times many employees have been asked to work from home. If you look at the new, funny ad from Apple, sometimes this is not easy...

16 views0 comments

10 Ways to make your design more beautiful and livable

Maria Luisa Castellanos

May 23, 2020
2 min

10 Ways to make your design more beautiful and livable

Architects can make your general design work and space flow from one area to another, but without great details the space can appear stark.

24 views0 comments

How about adding to the front of your apartment building?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jun 22, 2019
1 min

How about adding to the front of your apartment building?

... there was a project where the architect took an old apartment building with no balconies and added an entire terrace in front of the old

49 views0 comments

Will online shopping kill brick-and-mortar stores?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

May 28, 2019
2 min

Will online shopping kill brick-and-mortar stores?

A lot has been said about online shopping vs. shopping at brick and mortar stores. Many people think that physical stores are on their way

37 views0 comments

Flood Zones - Why You Need to Know if the Building or House You Are Buying is in a Flood Zone

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Apr 13, 2019
2 min

Flood Zones - Why You Need to Know if the Building or House You Are Buying is in a Flood Zone

If you are buying a building or house in a flood zone, later, it may be difficult or next to impossible to add to it or remodel it.

898 views0 comments

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Mar 1, 2018
3 min

Want to buy that condo - really?

Condo remodeling is not easy, not as easy as remodeling a single-family house. There are certain things you need to consider.

40 views0 comments

10 Questions to ask a general contractor before hiring him

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Feb 13, 2018
3 min

10 Questions to ask a general contractor before hiring him

1. How is your company structured? Do you carry workmen’s compensation insurance as well as liability? It’s important to know with whom you

27 views0 comments

Can you phase your commercial remodeling project?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Feb 7, 2018
2 min

Can you phase your commercial remodeling project?

Why is phased construction something to consider for a commercial remodel? Most small businesses cannot afford to shut down completely when

19 views0 comments

Planning a house for today and for future sale

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Dec 28, 2017
3 min

Planning a house for today and for future sale

Many people ask me what they should do with their houses when they are redesigning them. Some plan their remodeling and/or addition as thou

32 views0 comments

If you live in Unincorporated Miami-Dade, can you turn your single-family property into a duplex?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Dec 8, 2017
2 min

If you live in Unincorporated Miami-Dade, can you turn your single-family property into a duplex?

Yesterday, Public Housing and Community Development along with Miami-Dade County's Planning Department unveiled the regulations on their

1,425 views0 comments

Where would we go if we had a revolution?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Nov 30, 2017
3 min

Where would we go if we had a revolution?

We should start generating a consciousness for urban spaces. Miami needs them. We should lobby for them. Why should we have to go to shoppin

22 views0 comments

What does 'good bones" mean and what makes a good floor plan?

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Oct 11, 2017
2 min

What does 'good bones" mean and what makes a good floor plan?

To me, “Good bones” means a house with a working floor plan, solid structure, and windows. In other words, it may need to be remodeled or u

65 views0 comments

Time is right for investing in the Florida Keys

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Oct 2, 2017
2 min

Time is right for investing in the Florida Keys

I went to visit a friend in the Keys this weekend, and while I was there, decided to drive around and see how much damage Hurricane Irma had

62 views0 comments

Principles of Good Planning from the Miami 21 Zoning Code

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jul 13, 2017
3 min

Principles of Good Planning from the Miami 21 Zoning Code

Maybe you want to know why Miami 21, the zoning code for the City of Miami, is such a different code from all the other municipal codes in S

34 views0 comments

When to Tear Down, When to Add & Remodel, & When to Sell your House

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jul 11, 2017
4 min

When to Tear Down, When to Add & Remodel, & When to Sell your House

So you are thinking about spending substantial money to add and remodel your present house. But should you? Or would it be better to tear do

26 views0 comments

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jul 7, 2017
2 min

What is a 40-year Re-certification?

This is about the requirement for 40-year re-certifications in Miami-Dade County. United Architects can perform these inspections.

607 views0 comments

Five major issues in adding to or remodeling residential property

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jul 3, 2017
2 min

Five major issues in adding to or remodeling residential property

1. Look at the required setbacks. Before doing anything, look at the zoning code of the city or the county (if you live in an unincorporated

23 views0 comments

Designing the Mansion Junior instead of the McMansion

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Jun 1, 2017
3 min

Designing the Mansion Junior instead of the McMansion

When I was a child unlike most Cubans, my family lived in the north – Missouri, New Hampshire, Alabama, and Georgia. We would come to Miami

55 views0 comments

Maria Luisa Castellanos

May 24, 2017
1 min

New Trends in Laundry/ Utility Rooms

One of the trends in home design is a larger Laundry/Utility Room. Instead of just a place for the washer and dryer, it is becoming a place

27 views0 comments

Deciding on which area & which zoning is best for buying real estate

Maria Luisa Castellanos

May 18, 2017
3 min

Deciding on which area & which zoning is best for buying real estate

This article should serve as information for anyone interested in buying property in Miami or Realtors who are helping a client look for a p

13 views0 comments

Planning your new Miami home or remodeling to reduce insurance costs

Maria Luisa Castellanos

May 15, 2017
2 min

Planning your new Miami home or remodeling to reduce insurance costs

Sometimes a particular remodeling or addition to a home can get you more in value than the actual cost of the item.

22 views0 comments

Maria Luisa Castellanos

May 12, 2017
2 min

Using Miami Area Zoning Codes

Most of the zoning codes in the Miami area are based on mathematical equations, except for the City of Miami. The City of Miami Zoning Code

19 views0 comments

8 Ideas for a More Energy-efficient Home Design

Maria Luisa Castellanos

May 12, 2017
2 min

8 Ideas for a More Energy-efficient Home Design

Include cross-ventilation in the design. There is not need to air-condition a house all-year around. Including windows on several walls of

27 views0 comments

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Apr 4, 2017
1 min

Beware of deed restrictions

Besides the many items that a buyer needs to be aware of such as any environmental issues, whether the site has the appropriate water and se

18 views0 comments

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Apr 4, 2017
4 min

The Coming Walkable City

Miami 21 is the most comprehensive zoning code change I have seen in any part of Miami-Dade County in my over 25 years of practicing archite

26 views0 comments

Should Floridians give our public money to private entities.

Maria Luisa Castellanos

Apr 4, 2017
3 min

Should Floridians give our public money to private entities.

Now this year the legislature is considering requiring the bond money that the public approved for public schools to be shared with charter

21 views0 comments