This week Miami welcomes back The Shelborne, a historic art deco landmark in South Beach revamped as a 300-room hotel by Aaron Clarke and Marta Tuneu of ADC & Tuneu, based in Barcelona and London. The renovation marks the latest chapter in the life of a modernist icon, onetime host of A-listers like Frank Sinatra and The Beatles. Initially designed by Igor Polevitzky and Thomas Triplett Russell in 1940, it now belongs to the Proper Hotels group and this week launches its new flagship restaurant Pauline.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Layered with texture and curated contemporary art, the space takes its name from Pauline Baker, an heiress, explorer and muse to the culinary writer Charles H Baker Jr, who lived in an art deco marvel in Coral Gables called Java Head. Trying to capture the vibe and effervescence of their woody retreat, the designers began their scheme with a sun-bleached, tropical palette: natural tans and grainy woods, bent into sculptural silhouettes. The interiors celebrate the deco heritage of both buildings, highlighting geometrical forms alongside sharp lines, flowing curves and bold details. And it reflects the area’s Latin influences while maintaining the warm, relaxed ambience of the original Shelborne.
To honour Baker herself, ADC & Tuneu have added feminine deco touches like a soft, sculptural screen at the end of the room, which enhances dimension and visual depth. They’ve also designed 1970s-inspired stools for the space, and customised seating with warm upholstery for the bespoke wooden tables.
Pauline is overseen by executive chef Abram Bissell, who brings Michelin-starred experience from restaurants such as The Modern and Eleven Madison Park. As a tribute to South Florida’s coastal catch, his cuisine features bold, distinctive versions of conch ceviche, rock shrimp fideos, a caviar tostada and mains with lobster, mussels and turbot. An adjacent cocktail lounge called The Little Torch has a moodier, old-school Latin ambience where onyx tables take centre stage among 1970s-style glamour.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Photography courtesy The Shelborne.
Read next: This design gallery found the perfect location for a future in Miami
Beautifully designed restaurants we fell in love with this month
Saint Laurent’s Miami flagship gets a makeover