How Architecture Of The Past Influences Tropical Modern Design

Looking to the Past to Design Modern Homes for the Future

At Studio AJO, our signature Tropical Modern designs have always been greatly influenced by a fascination with the historical architecture of Southwest Florida, namely residential concepts from the early 19th century. 

After all, our beautiful climate has always been hot, humid, and prone to tropical downpours. So, how did residents that came before us keep their homes cool without the luxury of modern inventions like air conditioning? 

Today we’re exploring what we’ve learned from digging into the vernacular architecture of Southwest Florida and how we apply those teachings in our approach to energy efficiency and Modern Tropical design. First, let’s talk about what they did in the past that worked so well in response to our Subtropical environment. 

The history of Southwest Florida architecture

The Native Seminole tribe originally inhabited Southwest Florida lands after escaping conflict with American forces. They built temporary houses known as “Chickee,” using the natural materials found in their environment.  

Chickees were raised off the ground, and the space underneath protected inhabitants from snakes, insects, and flooding. Steep roofs allowed warm air to rise and kept air cooler at living level, and also helped tropical rainwater drain easier. 

Decades later, a group of settlers known as “Cracker farmers” (they ate a lot of cracked corn - hence the name!) replicated and built upon the basic principles of ventilation seen in Chickee homes. 

Cracker farmers not only built homes raised off the ground, they also positioned windows opposite each other to allow for cross ventilation and increase airflow through their homes.

These “Cracker” homes were often situated among the cooling cover of trees and foliage and featured deep porches with wide overhangs, providing optimal shade from the harsh sun.

Reinterpreting the past to design more sustainable homes for the future

With the increased risk of rising temperatures due to climate change, it’s never been more critical to design with heat offset in mind, especially in Southwest Florida. 

However, in the past 30 years, many of these historical design principles for tropical climates have been largely ignored, replaced by large, ‘white box’ homes that rely entirely on air conditioning to keep them cool year round.

Conversely, at Studio AJO, the homes we design take inspiration from passive energy efficiency methods used in the past and are distinctly tropical in design aesthetic.

Our homes are designed to reflect the natural beauty of Southwest Florida, while offering our clients maximum comfort and protection from its tropical heat. 

We work to celebrate the grounded, earthy tones and textures found in our environment and invite nature into our designs at every opportunity.

By exploring how our ancestors kept cool without relying on air conditioning, we can create homes using their core principles while using modern technology and sustainable materials to reduce their carbon footprint. 

Taking inspiration from the Chickee and Cracker style homes, the interiors and exteriors of our Tropical Modern homes are designed with the following elements in mind:

1 - Increasing airflow

Our designs are heavily focused on creating as much natural ventilation as possible to minimize the need for air conditioning, thereby conserving energy. 

This means strategically placing windows and doors for better air flow and using raised floors and high ceilings to allow cool air to circulate and hot air to rise. 

Windows also help to showcase the views and accentuate the connection to nature—blurring the line between inside and outside. 

We often design with courtyards or outdoor pool areas in the middle of large homes for even more ventilation and a feeling of airiness throughout the house. 

2 - Creating shady spaces

Here in the Subtropics, it’s imperative to maximize daylight to reduce reliance on artificial light and, at the same time, minimize direct sunlight to lower dependency on energy-hungry mechanical systems.

Borrowing from Chickee and Cracker traditions, we incorporate deep overhangs and large covered porches, adding pergolas and canopies wherever possible to deny egress of the searing sun, and create outdoor areas shielded from the heat where it’s possible to enjoy nature in comfort.

Careful consideration of the house orientation increases both shade and ventilation while tall tropical trees and plants add lush greenery to outdoor living areas and provide additional shelter from the sun. 

3 - Inviting light without the heat

Evaluating and understanding how the sun will interact with the specific property site informs much of our design and is key to keeping the home cool without searing heat. 

Once we know when and where the sun will hit the building and exteriors, we can place windows appropriately, protect windows with coverings, plan for overhangs or pergolas, and add vegetation in direct sunlight areas to maximize shade. 

With modern insulated glass, we can keep the home cooler by keeping the heat out and design our interiors to keep direct sunlight to a minimum.

4 - Embracing nature

The vegetation in Southwest Florida is incredible. Our gorgeous climate is flourishing with colorful tropical plants and leafy trees everywhere you look. 

Studio AJO’s Tropical Modern houses are designed to bring that natural beauty inside. Large sliding glass doors and vast panoramic windows frame views that bring the outside in. 

While our interiors often include plenty of indoor plants, the exterior landscape designs work in harmony with these interiors, creating an easy transition from inside to outside.

By blurring the lines between the tropical environment and the home, our architecture and interiors create a feeling of lightness, openness, and a real connection with nature. 

5 - Using natural materials

Chickee and Cracker farm houses fused with their natural surroundings by using indigenous materials found in their environment. 

We also love incorporating materials that mirror these elements indigenous to Southwest Florida, whether that’s local natural stone or wood that adds a natural harmony to the property.

It’s essential to ensure the materials we use are suitable for our tropical climate and harsh coastal environment. As much as possible, we opt for sustainable choices when designing a new home or taking on a whole-house remodel. 

6 - Reflecting the Florida lifestyle

We work closely with each client to understand their needs and desires, and then design a home that genuinely speaks to their lifestyle while also making sense for their environment. 

That means designing comfortable, low-maintenance spaces that offer our clients more time to relax and enjoy coastal living while also reducing energy consumption.

Many of us in Southwest Florida gravitate towards the outdoors. By creating homes that focus as much on outdoor spaces as interior space and bringing natural elements inside, Studio AJO’s Tropical Modern approach responds to that desire for space and freedom. 

7 - Designing for the Environment

The homes we design are created explicitly for the tropics, meaning less money spent on air conditioning and homes that respect their natural surroundings with energy efficiency in mind.

The wonderful thing about using principles from the past in our Tropical Modern homes is that we can create inherently energy-efficient homes and include new concepts that further respond to the climate crisis. 

Tropical Modern Architectural design at Studio AJO

In our experience designing homes using tropical architecture concepts, we know what works – and what doesn’t – for our hot and humid climate. 

And it’s by looking to the past that we’ve been able to look forward, informed and inspired to create more eco-friendly architectural, interior, and landscape designs for our clients. 

Want to learn more about Tropical Modern home design? 

At Studio AJO, we’re known for this distinctive tropical style and environmentally-conscious residential and commercial architecture. What we’ve learned from our ancestors still informs our designs today. See this expression of the past combined with Tropical Modern design for yourself in our portfolio. 

You can find more about designing your tropical paradise in “Why Tropical Modern design is just right for Southwest Florida.”

If you’re interested in our architecture services for your coastal Florida home, get in touch with Studio AJO to get started.