3Walls

3Walls is located on a quarter-acre lot in Sarasota’s historic Avondale neighborhood. Conceived as deeply site-responsive and accessible, the 3,350 SF home presents the concept of a “modern bungalow.” Thoughtfully addressing the scale of neighboring historic residences, the principal house is one story and opens onto an integrated pool terrace and a two-story studio/garage in back, capped by rooftop decks.

NOTABLE
2026 SRQ Home of the Year Platinum, Under $2 million

CLIENT
Private Residence

LOCATION
Sarasota, FL

SIZE
3350 A/C square feet

PHOTO CREDIT
Jacquelyn Marie Photography, Dylan Jon Wade Cox

The home is named for its three walls of custom breezeblock, manufactured by local craftsmen. Selected after studying dozens of options, this distinctive pattern is incorporated on three walls—the entryway, an outdoor hallway leading to a rooftop garden terrace, and the upper rooftop deck overlooking the pool—tying the site together through light, air, and material continuity.

At the heart of 3Walls, the kitchen was conceived as both a social anchor and functional workspace. The homeowners passion for cooking plays a central role in the spatial organization of the house which required a layout that would support professional-level cooking and entertaining, and to do so without compromising accessibility.

The primary design challenge was accessibility. The entire residence—including front and back entrances, circulation, bathrooms, and pool deck—was required to be fully wheelchair accessible. Rather than treating accessibility as an overlay, the design seamlessly integrates generous turning radii, roll-in showers, hidden ramps, flush thresholds, and wide doorways ’silently’ embedded within the architecture of the house.

Another challenge with this project was working on a small site limited by building and zoning codes. By closely studying these codes, the Design Team was able to come up with a creative solution using multiple detached structures to create a home large enough to meet the Owner’s needs.

The secondary structure houses an outdoor kitchen, pool bath, garage, and studio. Two rooftop decks provide additional areas for entertaining, gardening, and framed views of the treetops. A custom pool enclosure reinforces the home’s geometry.

The home is elevated above street level for flood resiliency and includes energy efficient windows, LED lighting, EnergyStar appliances, low-flow fixtures, and a highly-insulated building envelope. During design and construction, a mature live oak was saved and master-planned into the project

The resulting design transforms multiple constraints into opportunities that can redefine accessibility as an essential driver of architecture.

3Walls Section / Axonometric

Team

Architect
SOLSTICE Planning and Architecture

Interior Designer
SOLSTICE Planning and Architecture with Owner

Builder
Modus Builders

Photographers
Jacquelyn Marie Photography
Dylan Jon Wade Cox