Miami Advice: Nina Surel on the historic Villa Paula and its future
Nina Surel, a Buenos Aires-born, Miami-based artist and founder of Collective 62, discusses the historic Villa Paula in Miami's Little Haiti neighborhood. Originally built in the late 19th century for Cuban consul Domingo Milord and his wife Paula, the Neo-Classical villa features imported Cuban materials, Tuscan columns, and hand-painted ceramic tiles. After years of disrepair, a civic-minded landlord transformed it into a cultural venue now hosting the design gallery the Future Perfect, with works by artists including Autumn Casey and Faye Toogood during Miami Art Week. Surel highlights the building's layered history, ghost stories, and its significance as a misplaced architectural gem.