Miami’s Wynwood neighbourhood has had many lives. In the 1920s, it was the centre of the city’s garment industry. In the 1950s, it earned the nickname Little San Juan after Puerto Rican immigrants flocked to the area. And in 2009, the region transformed yet again: A revitalisation repurposed drab buildings into colourful murals, turning Wynwood into one of the buzziest neighbourhoods in the city.
So it’s no surprise that Soho House debuted its second Magic City location, Miami Pool House, at the border of Wynwood and Edgewater. The social club is currently open exclusively to its founding members — the first batch of members who joined Miami Pool House’s community. It’s slated to welcome all members at the end of March. (The city’s first Soho House property, Soho Beach House, is a 49-bedroom hotel located 5.5 miles away on South Beach.)
Miami Pool House’s three main buildings — the Pool House, the Loft, and the Cottage — are centred around a Palm Springs–inspired pool. The pool area is vibrant, with its pink-and-white pool tiles and umbrellas, yellow-and-blue striped day beds, and tropical-print loungers.
“[The] Miami Pool House design nods to the 1920s with its floral prints across fabrics and upholstery, while also paying homage to the neighbourhood’s Puerto Rican heritage through its bright colour palette and use of bold patterns,” said a release by Soho House representatives.
The pool space is more than a spot to lounge: It will have live music daily and a weekend market featuring art and food stalls from member-owned businesses. To encourage creativity — a core tenet of Soho House — the poolside communal table will host artist workshops from local institutions like Bakehouse Art Complex and Oolite Arts.
Much like the Wynwood neighbourhood, the three structures on the one-acre property have a fascinating history. The Pool House was once a 1940s printing factory, the Loft was a 1960s machine shop, and the Cottage is a Sears kit home from 1926.
The Loft, which features vintage furniture and art from local artist Carolina Cueva, serves as a communal workspace by day and cocktail bar by night. Meanwhile, the Cottage serves coffee and nutritious bites in the morning through its ventanita — a small counter-service window commonly found in Miami cafes. At night, the Cottage transforms into a pop-up dining experience featuring a rotating roster of chefs and restaurants, including chef Deborah de Corral’s Tigre.
At the helm of Miami Pool House’s main restaurant is executive chef Andrea Calievere. The menu includes small bites (like deviled eggs, pigs in a blanket, lobster rolls, and stone crab claws) and larger plates (like lemon spaghetti with king crab and Florida snapper with salsa roja). In addition to indoor dining, the restaurant has an outdoor terrace and smaller bites are available poolside.
Sprinkled throughout the property are 60 works of art — paintings, installations, and even a mural — from artists with ties to Miami or the Caribbean. The collection includes work from Woody De Othello, N. Dash, Angel Otero, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Malaika Temba, Mark Fleuridor, Rose Marie Cromwell, and Cornelius Tulloch.
Like every Soho House location — currently, there 39 properties in 14 countries — Miami Pool House will be about community, with performances, artist workshops, clubs, talks, and house suppers. There will also be fitness events with local gyms and studios, like House of Transformation and Modo Yoga, and children’s events in collaboration with Little Creative Souls. The new location participates in the Soho Fellowship program, which gives complimentary Every House and Soho Works memberships to creative folks from diverse backgrounds with financial barriers.
Learn more about Miami Pool House at sohohouse.com.
(Hero and featured image credit: Soho House)
