Riva Residenze vs Auberge Beach Residences in Fort Lauderdale: Design, finishes & customization
Quick Summary
- Riva is boutique and yacht-branded; Auberge is an established resort icon
- Intracoastal marina lifestyle vs. direct oceanfront, beach club and spa routine
- Design pedigrees differ: Arquitectonica vs. NBWW with Meyer Davis interiors
- Buyer fit comes down to privacy, timing, and how you live on the water
The two lifestyles Fort Lauderdale is selling right now
Fort Lauderdale luxury has shifted from raw square footage to identity. Some buyers want a residence that functions like a private yacht club with an address. Others want a true oceanfront home that runs on a hotel-grade rhythm: beach mornings, spa afternoons, and dinner without ever leaving the property.
That’s why the comparison between Riva Residenze and Auberge Beach Residences & Spa is so revealing. One is a boutique, yacht-branded project positioned as the world’s first yacht-branded condominium in Fort Lauderdale. The other is a completed, oceanfront dual-tower condominium that has already set a modern resort benchmark along this stretch of coastline.
If you’re deciding between them, the real question isn’t which is “better.” It’s which one makes the rest of your life in South Florida easier, quieter, and more aligned with how you actually spend time on the water.
Setting and arrival: Intracoastal intimacy vs. oceanfront certainty
Riva Residenze is oriented to the Intracoastal Waterway, where the daily view is a choreography of yachts, wakes, and golden-hour motion. Its branding leans into a marina and dock component as part of its yachting lifestyle positioning. For a boat owner, that’s not simply convenient-it changes how you plan weekends, host guests, and execute spontaneous departures.
Auberge Beach Residences & Spa is direct oceanfront, and the promise is immediate. You arrive into a beach club-style environment with multiple pools and a resort-oriented amenity deck. Oceanfront ownership also offers a clarity that’s hard to replicate: the water isn’t a backdrop to Intracoastal traffic-it’s the horizon.
In practical terms, the choice often reads like this:
- If your default day includes boats, docking logistics, and a social calendar that revolves around the Intracoastal, Riva’s premise is compelling.
- If your default day is barefoot, spa-forward, and anchored by the beach, Auberge speaks your language.
For buyers also tracking new construction within Broward’s luxury pipeline, the positioning of Riva Residenze Fort Lauderdale is worth understanding as a lifestyle statement as much as a real estate decision.
Scale, privacy, and the “boutique tax”
Riva Residenze is planned as a boutique tower with 36 residences. That number matters. Boutique scale can mean fewer elevator encounters, a more controlled arrival experience, and staff relationships that feel personal rather than transactional. At this tier, privacy often is the amenity.
Auberge is intentionally larger, with 171 total condominium units across its dual-tower composition. The advantage of scale isn’t just energy-it’s ecosystem. Larger luxury communities can support broader amenity programming and a steadier cadence of on-site activity.
Neither model is universally “better.” Boutique living can feel quietly decisive, but it may not deliver constant social buzz. Resort-scale living can feel effortless, but some buyers prefer the ability to disappear.
Design authorship: translating brand into architecture and interiors
Riva’s architecture is by Arquitectonica, with interiors by yacht interior designer Giuseppina Arena. The intent is straightforward: translate a yacht brand’s material sensibility and detailing discipline into a vertical residential address.
Auberge’s architecture is by Nichols, Brosch, Wurst, Wolf & Associates, with interiors designed by Meyer Davis Studio. The interior direction is described as gallery-like, with public areas conceived to live comfortably alongside museum-quality contemporary art, including a Fernando Botero piece referenced within the project’s design narrative.
The difference isn’t only aesthetic-it’s conceptual:
- Riva centers on brand codes and yachting cues, where the signature is the lifestyle itself.
- Auberge centers on resort refinement and art-forward public space, where the signature is the atmosphere.
For buyers who prioritize landscaping as part of the arrival sequence, Auberge’s landscape design is credited to Enzo Enea-reinforcing that the resort impression is built from the ground up.
Residences and layouts: how each home is expected to live
Riva Residenze residences are marketed as 3- to 6-bedroom layouts, with two penthouses marketed with private pools. Kitchens are marketed with premium appliance lines such as Gaggenau, Sub-Zero, and Wolf, depending on plan and specification.
Auberge residences are marketed around floor-to-ceiling glass and large terraces that emphasize indoor-outdoor living. Kitchens are commonly positioned with Italian cabinetry, stone countertops, and Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances-with the usual caveat that individual residences can differ, particularly in resale scenarios where upgrades and renovations may vary.
The more consequential distinction is timing. Riva is a pre-construction project with delivery commonly cited for 2027. Buyers are purchasing into a vision: design intent, future service culture, and a building’s eventual reputation.
Auberge is completed (2018), which means buyers can evaluate the lived reality: how the building feels at different times of day, how the amenities are actually used, and whether the community’s tone matches their own.
Amenities as identity: yacht club energy vs. resort programming
Riva’s amenity programming is marketed to include a SkyLounge-style social space plus leisure rooms that can include cinema or media and wine or cigar-type programming as part of the branded lifestyle pitch. The emphasis is club-like-social spaces with an elevated, evening-forward sensibility.
Auberge’s amenities are unapologetically resort-oriented. The on-site spa offering is positioned as a core feature, and the project includes an oceanfront restaurant concept known as Dune. If you want the cadence of a destination property without the friction of checking in, this is the appeal.
There’s also architectural practicality built into Auberge’s conception: the towers were configured with an intent to reduce shadow impact on the beach. For buyers who genuinely live outdoors, that kind of planning can matter as much as marble selection.
For those comparing Fort Lauderdale’s established resort condominiums with other branded and service-driven options nearby, Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences Fort Lauderdale provides a useful reference point for how hospitality DNA can shape daily life.
Buyer fit: who should choose which
Riva Residenze tends to fit buyers who:
- want a highly curated, brand-forward residence with boutique scale
- prioritize Intracoastal life and the idea of docking as part of the home
- enjoy the notion of yachting design translated into interiors and amenity culture
- are comfortable with pre-construction timing and the discipline it requires
Auberge Beach Residences & Spa tends to fit buyers who:
- want an established oceanfront condominium with a proven resort ecosystem
- use wellness, spa services, pools, and on-site dining as weekly routines
- prefer evaluating a finished building rather than projecting the future
- value art-forward public spaces and a gallery-like residential mood
Within the broader Fort Lauderdale new-development conversation, buyers who want a more urban, walkable cadence rather than oceanfront or Intracoastal positioning sometimes cross-shop projects like Sixth & Rio Fort Lauderdale or consider the evolving marina and resort district energy at St. Regis® Residences Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale.
Ownership considerations that matter at this level
At the ultra-premium end, “which building is nicer” is rarely decisive. The differentiators are operational and experiential.
Timing and optionality: A completed building like Auberge can offer immediate use and the ability to host or rent long-term under whatever rules apply. Pre-construction at Riva can offer the psychological advantage of being first, but it also demands patience-and a clear-eyed distinction between what’s promised and what’s ultimately delivered.
Privacy profile: A 36-residence tower can feel closer to private membership than traditional condominium living. A 171-unit property can read more like a destination, which some buyers prefer because it brings energy and services.
Water behavior: Intracoastal living is defined by movement and proximity to boating life. Oceanfront living is defined by the horizon, the beach, and the soundscape. Both are “waterfront,” but they ask different things of your day.
A discreet way to choose
If your ideal Fort Lauderdale residence is one where the brand is embedded in the object itself-where yachting culture isn’t a theme but the operating system-Riva Residenze is positioned to deliver that.
If your ideal is an established oceanfront resort home, defined by spa access, multiple pools, beach club energy, and an art-forward arrival experience, Auberge Beach Residences & Spa remains one of the city’s clearest expressions of that standard.
FAQs
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Is Riva Residenze a new development? Yes. It is a pre-construction condominium project with timing commonly cited for 2027 completion.
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How many residences are planned at Riva Residenze? It is planned as a boutique tower with 36 residences.
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What is Riva Residenze best known for conceptually? It is positioned as the world’s first yacht-branded condominium in Fort Lauderdale.
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Who designed Riva Residenze? The architecture is by Arquitectonica, with interiors by yacht interior designer Giuseppina Arena.
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Is Auberge Beach Residences & Spa already completed? Yes. It is an oceanfront, dual-tower condominium completed in 2018.
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How many total units are at Auberge Beach Residences & Spa? It is commonly presented as having 171 total condominium units.
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What defines the Auberge lifestyle on-site? A full-service spa, multiple pools with a beach club sensibility, and an oceanfront restaurant are central.
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Do both buildings emphasize indoor-outdoor living? Yes, though Auberge is marketed with floor-to-ceiling glass and large terraces, and Riva leans into yachting-driven lifestyle cues.
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Does Riva Residenze include penthouses with private pools? Two penthouses are marketed with private pools.
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How should I decide between Intracoastal and oceanfront? Choose Intracoastal if boating and docking shape your routine; choose oceanfront if beach and horizon living do.
For a confidential assessment and a building-by-building shortlist, connect with MILLION Luxury.
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Million Luxury
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