Miami has long been known for its Art Deco and its art. But although it's has been the center of a building craze for the past 15 years, the heavy hitters in architecture have stayed away - until now.
In the residential, high-end areas of Coconut Grove and the newly named North Beach, luxury residential buildings designed by the world-renowned architects Renzo Piano, Bjarke Ingels and Rem Koolhaas have sprouted up, thanks to real David Martin - the architecture buff and president of real estate company, Terra.
"I was born and raised in Miami and have since watched my hometown transition into a global city," Martin told Newsweek. "Design has played an important role in that growth. Architects want to leave their mark on our skyline and our local landscape.
The first building to go up was Ingels' Grove at Grand Bay in 2016. On a three-acre property, it has 98 luxury residences across two 20-story curved glass towers, with a rooftop pool and state-of-the-art fitness center overlooking the Coconut Grove and Biscayne Bay skyline. It was the Danish architect's first residential building in the United States.
Nearby is Park Grove, the OMA/ Rem Koolhaas + Shohei Shigematsu-designed building that opened this Spring which contains 276 luxury residences within three towers on four acres. The interiors are custom designed by William Sofield, the landscape designed by Enzo Enea and it was so popular, it sold out almost immediately.
But the crown jewel in Martin's crown is Eighty Seven Park. Set on the northern edge of North Shore Park with uninterrupted views of the park and South Beach, it is the entrance to the new neighborhood dubbed North Beach.
Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, it is Piano's first residential project in the Western Hemisphere. Opening in time for Art Basel this December, it is a private, luxury, 66-residence beachfront building and is the only building in Miami nestled between ocean and park. Each residence comes with a key to another private park on the building's north flank and, unlike many of the other luxury residences on the beach - the residents on the south side will have no neighbors and complete privacy.
"Miami's relative youth is a blank canvas in the eyes of designers who are inspired by our cultural and creative diversity, our climate, and our position at the crossroads between north and south, east and west," Martin said. "The result has been a series of transformative design projects which are enhancing our urban fabric, reviving neighborhoods, and contemplating principles in sustainability and resiliency."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
