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Nina and Michael Marco have completed a six-year renovation of Paul Rudolph’s 1955 Sewell C. Biggs Residence in Delray Beach, Florida. Guided by original photographs and plans found in the house, the project restored key features while raising and adapting the steel structure for coastal flooding and current hurricane requirements.
Nina and Michael Marco have completed a six-year renovation of Paul Rudolph’s 1955 Sewell C. Biggs Residence in Delray Beach, Florida, restoring the elevated steel-and-glass home while adapting it to present-day coastal requirements. Working with architect Jeffrey Silberstein, the owners used original plans and photographs found in the house to guide the reconstruction of the 1,600-square-foot residence.
The Marcos bought the property in 2018. In a bedroom closet, they found a red velvet bag containing 1950s photographs of the house and Rudolph’s hand-drawn plans. The discovery helped inform a project focused on retaining the original design rather than simplifying it. Michael Marco said the owners’ mandate was to honor Rudolph’s vision even when doing so would be difficult, time-consuming or costly.
The restored home retains its two-bedroom, two-bathroom layout and an elevated, rectilinear glass pavilion supported by steel columns. The original steel structure was rehabilitated and raised to address coastal flooding standards. Exposed beams, broad glass openings and jalousie windows preserve the home’s open relationship with the Florida climate, while the lower level was enclosed with sliding glass panels. That level, once an open-air entertainment area and carport, now contains the main living, dining and entertainment spaces.
A two-story glass breezeway connects the historic residence to a new addition. Designed by Silberstein, the link contains a kitchen and powder room; the addition provides two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and a two-car garage. The project also includes tropical landscaping, a terrace and a contoured swimming pool.
Preserving Rudolph for Coastal Use
The renovation shows how a historically significant modern home can be adapted for continued use in a coastal setting. Its owners and architect had to reconcile Rudolph’s 1955 steel structure with current hurricane requirements and coastal flooding standards, while preserving the qualities that define the design. The source report does not specify the engineering measures or code provisions applied.
The project also gives the residence room to serve a contemporary household. A glass connection separates the new accommodation from the original structure while linking the two, and the enclosed lower level adds usable living space. Nina Marco described the approach as allowing historic properties to be lived in and built upon, rather than kept apart from daily life.
For readers interested in preservation, the Biggs Residence is a specific example of the choices involved when a landmark design remains a home: which original elements to retain, how to add space, and how to address safety and climate exposure without losing the architectural intent.
Plans Found in a Bedroom Closet
Rudolph designed the Biggs Residence in 1955. The home’s elevated pavilion, steel supports and extensive glazing are central to the tropical modernist design described in the source report. The Marcos found the archival material after purchasing the property in 2018, then worked with Jeffrey Silberstein of Silberstein Architecture on the renovation.
The original house was about 1,600 square feet. The two-story breezeway was designed to meet historic preservation requirements while connecting that house to a new addition. The report describes the addition’s rooms and garage but does not provide its square footage or a full account of the preservation review.
Material choices were intended to echo the period and suit a coastal environment. They include oyster-pebble terrazzo imported from Italy, aluminum and natural stone, alongside warm neutral finishes and natural wood. The home also incorporates family heirlooms, vintage Lalique glassware and photographs of the residence.
“From day one, our mandate was simple: honor Rudolph’s design no matter how difficult, time-consuming, or costly.”
— Michael Marco
Code Measures and Project Costs
The source report says the steel structure was raised to meet coastal flooding standards and that the renovation addressed present-day hurricane codes. It does not identify the specific code requirements, engineering methods, permitting decisions or review process. The project’s total cost, the addition’s size and any formal historic designation details are also not provided.
A Residence Ready for Continued Use
The renovation is reported as complete, and the Marcos describe their aim as preserving the residence for future generations. No further construction phase, public access plan or upcoming milestone is identified in the source material. The home’s next chapter, as presented in the report, is continued use as a modern residence that retains Rudolph’s original design.
Key Questions
What happened to Paul Rudolph’s Biggs Residence?
Nina and Michael Marco completed a six-year renovation that restored key features of Rudolph’s 1955 house and added contemporary living space.
Where is the residence?
The Sewell C. Biggs Residence is in Delray Beach, Florida.
What original material guided the renovation?
After buying the house in 2018, the Marcos found 1950s photographs and Rudolph’s hand-drawn plans in a red velvet bag in a bedroom closet.
How was the home adapted for coastal conditions?
The original steel structure was rehabilitated and raised to address coastal flooding standards. The report says the work also reconciled the 1955 house with present-day hurricane codes, but does not detail the specific measures.
Source: rss
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