Cat Cay Residence – Out of the Blue

The client-given name of the house, “Out of the Blue,” was inspired by the many shades of the vibrant blue sea which is a hallmark of Cat Cay. The palette was inspired by nature and a desire to connect to the beauty located all around the island. The relaxing white and pastel blues of the walls contrast the vivid colors of the tropical seas and gardens outdoors.

The house includes Bahamian shutters, porches, breezeways, native keystone, and volume ceilings with wood cladding, all elements with deep roots in Bahamian tradition. The modern feel of the house is best highlighted by the openness of the Great Room, the immediacy of the connection to the dramatic reflecting pool outdoors, and the simple concrete decks perched above the rocks and beach below. Sliding doors in the main space retract to allow for 20 feet of gorgeous, uninterrupted ocean views.

The Bahamian roots of the house also provide several important resiliency features. Cross ventilation makes public spaces well-ventilated and AC optional during much of the year. Elevated decks capture the breezes and shady porches block the sun.

The materials are easily maintainable despite the harsh marine environment, leaving relaxation to be the top priority in this residence. This is a tropical beach house designed to be enjoyed with family and friends.

2019 – Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal asked over 200 design professionals to identify the next big decorating trends for 2019. Jacqueline Gonzalez Touzet, founding principal of Touzet Studio included cold, unnatural LED lighting on the list of what was out. What’s in is the use of perforated ceiling panels for naturalistic dappled light, resulting in a soft…

Hialeah Factory Town

Building Area: 382,050 SF
Building Status : Unbuilt

Factory town is a master plan of a 276,560 SF lot in Hialeah. The concept for the master plan is a cluster of buildings holding different programs ranging from marker spaces, markets, retail, entertainment venues, offices and recreational fields like soccer. A community of makers creating attractive work will attract and retain the 21st century Industries in Hialeah. Adaptive re-use of the existing industrial buildings for a variety of exciting uses creates a place that has activity day and night. Access to fresh food, urban farming and markets provide much needed services to the area. Community areas and programming will add to the wellbeing of residents and visitors. In addition to the program, resiliency comes into play with adding tree canopy and green elements help with heat island effect found in industrial areas.

2018 – South Florida Business Journal

Based in Miami, internationally-renowned Touzet Studio designed Grove Central, a mixed-use sustainable and resilient development project which will offer residential space, as well as retail components to its inhabitants and the passengers of Greater Miami rail and bus services. Also, the project will provide practical amenities such as 180,000 square feet of office space and…

2018⁠ – Architizer

Inspired by the iconic architecture of the Bahamas, incorporating touches of modern flair with a mind on sustainability, the aptly-named residence Out of the Blue is a gorgeous home from Touzet Studios. Situated on the white-sand shores and sparkling blue Caribbean waters of the Cat Cay community, approximately ten miles south of Bimini, this distinctly Bahamian…

La Escondida Residence

2020 AIA Miami Residential Architecture/Merit
Located in a mature oak hammock, the clients requested a house that celebrated the lush vegetation and beauty of existing trees as well as provide privacy for their family. According to Luxe Florida: “The accumulation of such subtle details underscores the home’s sensitive statement, delicately floating among the trees, never overwhelming the landscape. It’s why the family has fondly dubbed their new house La Escondida, or “the hidden one”—a quiet piece of Miami’s rare wilderness to call their own”.

Touzet Studio oriented the structure so the views from each room focus on specific trees in the landscape. The living spaces were aligned around the outdoors to help connect the everyday life of the family to the mature oak hammock beyond as well as enjoy filtered natural daylight from each room. For example, the cantilevered, second-floor master bedroom seemingly floats among the trees, so morning sunshine is diffused softly through the leaves. Spaces like the kitchen and smaller dining area were made to overlook some of the more beautiful trees with great branch qualities, so they can enjoy nice shadow play. And operable glass walls intertwine throughout the facade’s solid volumes, carving out long vistas of rich greenery. The lights are seldom turned on all day because these rooms open to the outside, picking up all the bounced light.

2018⁠ – TROPIC Magazine

“Our view is that society needs more buildings dedicated to serving the needs of people who leave the prison system, or immigrants coming into the country for the first time, or underemployed who are seeking to generally improve their ability to provide for their families. The fact that there is a significant homeless population near…

Domino Park Study

Status : Study

This project is a study completed for the City of Miami Planning Department. The intention was to guide what could be a future vision for one of the most popular tourist destinations of Miami-Domino Park in Little Havana.

In addition to speaking to local leaders, we spent time with the residents, interviewing them about their needs and vision for the park.

The result was a study of ideas of how to slowly evolve the park and provide a safe, welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike. Special attention was paid to materiality that evoked memories of Havana while still being authentic and true to the needs of the Miami community that relies on the park for recreation and a fun game of Dominoes.

2018 – Robb Report

“[Trends are moving] to have all rooms connected with nature with more immersion in landscape,” Gonzalez Touzet says. She adds that buyers are looking to respect and enjoy nature, a trend that will likely be highlighted by light colors, natural stones, and plants. These materials all play into more of those floor-to-ceiling windows that allow…

Brown Jordan Flagship – Interiors

Building Area: 8,900 SF
Building Status: Completed

Having once been populated by Dade County pine trees where the building sits, this 8,000 SF high-end luxury retail space incorporates the material, salvaged from a neighboring building, in a series of floating ceilings and details. By blurring the boundary between interior and exterior, interior spaces become garden-like in order to effectively exhibit Brown Jordan’s outdoor furniture. An expansive roof terrace above features the company’s line of outdoor kitchens and creates platform for unexpected views of the Design District.