RAHAL ARCHITECTS

236 Aledo Avenue — Historic Addition | Coral Gables, FL

Constructed in 1926 by architect Alfred J. Heiles during the height of George Merrick's Mediterranean Revival vision for Coral Gables, this single-family residence stands as one of the earliest extant homes in the city — and one of its most intact. Designated a Local Historic Landmark in 2024, the property presented a rare and demanding design challenge: how to extend a century-old home without diminishing it.

Rahal Architects navigated the layered approval process required for work on a designated landmark, earning unanimous approval from both the City of Coral Gables Board of Architects and the Historic Preservation Board. The addition responds to the home's character-defining Mediterranean Revival features — its barrel tile rooflines, series of arched openings, textured stucco massing, and projecting porte cochere — while introducing new living area and a redesigned pool deck that situate the home firmly in the present without falsifying its past.