Palazzo del Cielo

A luxury seaside haven in Sunny Isles Beach, The Mansions at Acqualina represent luxury living at its finest. Perched 47 floors above the emerald waters of the Atlantic is the resort’s true gem, The Mansions Penthouse Palazzo del Cielo. Over five years in the making, the penthouse was a labor of love for Miami-based architecture firm, STA Architectural Group.

Influenced by the great interiors of Paris, the French Riviera and, of course, Miami, STA’s design harmoniously blends classical elegance and opulent modernism to create a literal palace in the sky.

“With the closest attention to detail, we took great pleasure in handpicking each finish,” said Principal In Charge of Interiors, Isabel Saavedra-Tragash. “Traveling throughout Europe and Asia to find the most exciting and unique collection of luxury stones, we created a memorable pallet of materials which flow effortlessly.”

To enter the residence, one must walk through a 10-foot tall entry door clad in Fumed Eucalyptus with custom-designed, six-foot tall bronze door pulls fabricated in London to define the grand entrance. The doors open up to a spacious foyer.

Spanning the entire 47^th floor, the residence covers 10,000 square feet. Slabs of Calacatta Crema extend throughout the expansive open floor plan, and reverse diamond matched in the private elevator for a dramatic entry experience. The residence’s ceilings, reaching up to 15 feet and 30 feet in some areas, are anchored with 18-foot marble wall base. The floors also feature custom-designed area rugs that were loomed in Nepal over the course of four months.

American Fumed Eucalyptus Wood paneling was used to create deep contrast against the textural Leathered Travertine features walls. Structural columns are decorated with panels of delicately beveled bronze mirrors, which minimize the columns’ size and warmly reflect the views beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding exterior doors.

In the master bedroom suite, STA furnished and accessorized the space with the latest Fendi Casa collection. The dream suite features a midnight bar with sink, refrigerator and marble countertops. The suite is equipped with his and hers bathrooms that feature onyx vanity tops, an onyx steam shower enclosure, marble floors, and a soaking tub clad with fluted Calacatta Crema marble.

As in any residence, Palazzo del Cielo’s kitchen is the heart of this penthouse. The kitchen is outfitted with black granite countertops, custom-designed cabinetry with rolling steel ladder, and a large center island with Kolher stainless steel sink. The appliances in the kitchen are top-of-the line and blend with the design of the space.

The spectacular design of Palazzo del Cielo isn’t contained to just its interiors. Outdoors, floating 600 feet above sea level, is the residence’s Sky Garden, a hi-rise outdoor experience like no other. STA designed travertine pilasters adorned by lush, elevated plants and walls of exterior wood cladding. The outdoor space also features a surreal, acrylic bottom pool that cantilevers off the side of the building. Handmade tiles, created by artisans in North Wales, clad the pool’s interior like a “modernist mural.”

“The end result is the culmination of a dream project for us. Having designed all of the common areas and several private residences in the building, the opportunity to ‘top-off’ our tenure at The Mansions at Acqualina with Palazzo del Cielo was an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Principal In Charge of Architecture, Todd Tragash.