Fort Lauderdale gem with curved roof lists for $4.4M

It’s not everyday you come across a home with a curved roof comprised of reinforced concrete, which is exactly what you’ll find at 212 South Gordon Road in Fort Lauderdale.

Listing yesterday for $4.375 million, the 4,500-square-foot home on a canal neighboring Las Olas Boulevard has three bedrooms, four bathrooms and was featured in Tropic Magazine, where we learn the Vernon Pierce-designed residence was modeled after a ship:

Pierce's design included all the elements from the couple's contemporary wish list and then some. He created a sloped roof that would simultaneously let in the sunlight from the north and grab the breezes from the southeast. He envisioned a large second floor living space with a 22-foot ceiling and commanding vistas from all angles. And to tie everything together, he designed a spiral staircase that echoes the interior of a large nautilus shell in the home's foyer.

"Ron is an avid boater," Pierce said. "So a lot of the details are borrowed from a ship." Aluminum handrails suggestive of a cruise ship line the balconies and staircase. Instead of a full third floor, he created a "crow's nest" for the couple's home office with views similar to those you would see from the tower of a yacht.

From the curved roof to the honey-hued wood ceilings and the custom-made 24-foot chandelier, it’s certainly one of the more interesting homes on the market in South Florida.

The property last sold for $1.26 million in 2006 while the distinct nautical home was constructed in 2012.