Archinect - News

Renzo Piano releases first concept designs for The Center for Arts & Innovation in Boca Raton, Florida

2024-04-19T18:30:00-04:00

Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) has released early concept designs for The Center for Arts & Innovation project in Boca Raton, Florida. The firm was announced as the winner of an international RFP process to imagine the Center in September of last year.

As stated in an announcement today, the new campus aims to foster the convergence of arts, education, business, and community in order to develop a new approach to how the world designs, imagines, programs, utilizes, and embraces cultural infrastructure.

Image: Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW)

The project will consist of a three-story building featuring permeable and luminous multi-use spaces. The eastern side of the scheme will include the “main venue,” a large multi-functional, convertible event, exhibition, and performance space designed to merge seamlessly with the outdoor piazza. The main venue is intended to be highly flexible, allowing for a variety of gatherings, exhibitions, performances, and innovative programming....

12 featured architecture jobs in Florida

2024-04-11T14:25:00-04:00

The latest curated jobs roundup from Archinect Jobs highlights five architecture and design firms currently looking to grow with exciting job offerings in Florida.

For helpful guidance on how to get that next job, make sure to check out Archinect's Guide to Job Titles series and our Archinect Tips collection.

Wannemacher Jensen Architects seeks Project Managers in Sarasota, Tampa, Miami, and West Palm Beach, and an Architectural Designer in Sarasota

Project Manager details: "We are looking for self-starting, talented and motivated individuals. We have an immediate opening for a full-time project manager with accredited architectural degree and 8 years or more of experience preferably in municipal and commercial type projects. We want someone with management ability to start and finish a project from initial client meeting through closeout and who manages multiple projects at a time."

Project Managers in Sarasota and Miami also require experience with higher education and education...

Miami Beach preservationists sound the alarm over concerning new building safety law

2024-03-26T15:04:00-04:00

The New York Times has picked a side in the fight between Miami Beach historic preservation advocates and developers supporting the recently signed Resiliency and Safe Structures Act, a law those in the former category claim will augment a devastating erasure of the local architecture character over time.

The rift that has for years played out amidst a backdrop that includes the tragedy at Surfside and a spate of new starchitect-designed developments on the nine-mile island has recent salients in the demolished Deauville Beach Hotel and the yet-decided fate of Miami Marine Stadium.

Advocates say the new law is a guise that uses climate change and building safety as its premise to usher in what is, in reality, a slate of insidious and destructive requirements. The Commercial Observer said they also work to "hamstring the powers of municipalities to dictate what can replace demolished structures."

Preliminary NIST report on Surfside condo investigation details key flaws that factored into building's collapse

2024-03-12T14:41:00-04:00

Preliminary details from the ongoing National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) investigation into the deadly 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Florida were shared recently, revealing evidence that supports theories about the precise source of its structural failure and other prevailing factors.

Among other findings, the report released last Thursday details the exact moment of the pool deck's collapse preceding the wider structural failure that killed 98 people. The report also outlines several critical lapses in standard design practices and failures to meet building codes that were present from the time of its construction. The findings could provide some clues for those questioning the soundness of its support columns, foundation, site, and steel reinforcements as well.

“It becomes clear that the design and construction did not meet all the safety standards of its day,” local Commissioner Marianne Meischeid told CNN of her concerns. “...

SHoP designs first U.S. real estate tower for Mercedes-Benz in Miami

2024-02-29T11:09:00-05:00

SHoP Architects has designed a residential tower for Mercedes-Benz in Miami, the first branded real-estate project for the car company in the United States. Overseen by JDS Development Group, and designed in collaboration with a Mercedes-Benz design team, the scheme is centered on the theme: “Timeless Design, Inspired by Miami.”

Image credit: JDS Development Group by the Boundary

The tower adopts a cube-shaped profile comprised of interconnected geometric bodies. The designers describe the approach as “two contrasting principles that combine to create clear forms and sensuous surfaces,” with “Sensual Purity” characterized by free-flowing elliptical lines and a stacked-box design representing the “technical side of the design language.” To reflect the signature color palettes of Mercedes-Benz cars, the tower will be clad in monotone silvers, blacks, and whites, while creating “opportunities for distinctive highlights and stimulating contrasts.”

Image credit: JDS Development Group by t...

Brooks + Scarpa completes vibrant park pavilion and sport complex in South Florida

2024-01-29T17:44:00-05:00

Brooks + Scarpa has shared photos of its recently completed design for the Youth Sports Complex in Pompano Beach, Florida.

The concept of the 10-acre project centers around The Field House, an enclosed 4,100-square-foot pavilion structure at the center of the park. Approached from the north elevation at Northeast 10th Street, visitors will be able to clearly view the signage that's encased in its yellow-painted metal lattice screens.

Image courtesy Brooks + Scarpa

Simple, cost-efficient board-formed concrete walls create the structure’s “playful and sculptural” outer facade. A wraparound porch is then formed inside the shell, capped by a sloping roofline that funnels water from its scupper into the aquifer of the rain garden below.

Image courtesy Brooks + Scarpa

Inside the porch of the pavilion, high-speed ceiling fans of varying heights that keep the space 20 degrees cooler are painted blue in contrast to the raw concrete ...

Design proposal for Miami's new tallest tower by BMA Architects submitted

2024-01-26T16:58:00-05:00

Plans for what would be the tallest tower in Miami have been put forth by a local developer seeking permission for a new high-rise building in the Brickell commercial district designed by BMA Architects.

Their proposal for a tower at 190 Southwest Street is advancing under the tentative name Calle 8. At 870 feet above sea level, it would surpass the Panorama Tower (also in Brickell) and the Aston Martin Residences Downtown for the record-setting tallest structure in Miami and the state of Florida.

Image courtesy BMA Architects

The mixed-use design is for 65 total stories. Developers are aiming for 464 residential units and considering several options, including a concert hall, for the ground-level space that’s sheathed in a perforated metal screen according to renderings that appeared in Florida YIMBY along with news of the height variance increase update to its permitting application.

Image courtesy BMA Architects

A cantilevered void with outdoor pool deck feature at the tower's mi...

Docomomo US stands against 'anti-diversity' policies, reinforces values for upcoming Florida symposium

2024-01-16T12:23:00-05:00

Docomomo US has issued a statement clarifying its stance on issues that have been raised in advance of its 2024 National Symposium in Coral Gables, Florida.

The group’s decision to host its annual event in the Miami area had come under scrutiny over the state’s pursuit of “anti-diversity” measures in the past year. The symposium will now continue with a renewed focus on sharing stories that can relate to the experiences of those communities targeted by lawmakers, organizers say. Their statement joins a prior call from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) outlining the detrimental impacts such "anti-woke" policies could have in the architectural education realm in places such as Arkansas, Iowa, South Dakota, and Virginia.

Other new laws and policies in Florida that have been labeled as equally antagonistic to the work of architectural historians and heritage preservation efforts were also decried by Docomomo. Beyond the local slate of major battles that inclu...

KPF’s tapered Tower 36 wins approval in Miami

2023-10-30T13:50:00-04:00

The design of KPF’s Tower 36 has been approved by the Miami Urban Development Review Board. Developed in collaboration with architect of record ODP Architecture & Design, the 922,000-square-foot tower will hold both office and retail functions.

Image credit: Atchain, courtesy of KPF

Externally, the 635-foot-tall tapered tower is defined by a glass facade containing terraces on all office floors. The terraces have been “arranged in a configuration that conveys a sense of movement across the building” and detailed with light bronze soffit accents.

Image credit: Atchain, courtesy of KPF

At the base of the tower, a podium holds retail spaces, bicycle, and car parking, and a landscaped roof accessed by a restaurant. The podium strikes a curved form, with the ground level cut away at the northeastern corner to reveal a motor court arrival and office lobby entrance.

Image credit: Atchain, courtesy of KPF

“Accentuating the podium’s cantilevered form and open corners, the façade’s layered patte...

Undulating balconies define Pininfarina’s 45-story tower in Fort Lauderdale

2023-10-13T11:19:00-04:00

Pininfarina has designed a 45-story oceanside tower in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Developed by Related Group with CFE Architects as the architect of record, the Andare Residences condominium tower contains 163 residential units.

Image credit: Related Group / Pininfarina

The 540-foot-tall tower was inspired by the area’s maritime context, with a flowing, wave-like facade characterized by undulating wraparound balconies. At the base of the tower, meanwhile, a 36-foot arch marks the entrance to the scheme of the pedestrian thoroughfare.

Image credit: Related Group / Pininfarina

At ground level, the tower’s double-height lobby contains floor-to-ceiling windows and displays both artistic and biophilic elements. Above, the residences range from 1,800 to 4,300 square feet, designed with open-concept living areas, floor-to-ceiling glazing, and wraparound balconies.

Image credit: Related Group / Pininfarina

"The unparalleled location of this property, in ...

An open role at the University of Florida demonstrates AI's rise in architectural education

2023-10-11T12:35:00-04:00

Following last week's look at an opening for the Director of the College of Architecture at Washington University in St. Louis, we are using this week’s edition of our Job Highlights series to explore an opportunity on Archinect Jobs for an Assistant Professor for AI in the Built Environment at the University of Florida.

The role, based in Gainesville, FL, calls for an individual who will be “positioned as a key collaborator within DCP [the College of Design, Construction, and Planning] and take an active role in the burgeoning university-wide network of Al faculty.” Among the requested qualifications is a relevant Ph.D. or terminal degree in the field and “demonstrated innovative research and education interests in the application of artificial intelligence in any aspect of design, construction, and planning.”

Related on Archinect: You, Me, and DALL-E: On the Relationship Between Architecture, Data, and Artificial Intelligence. Image credit: Archinect / Midjourney

Why the role inter...

Tampa Bay Rays partner with Hines for new MLB stadium development in St. Petersburg

2023-09-23T09:00:00-04:00

Hines has been announced as the developer of a new 8-million-square-foot mixed-use district and Major League Baseball stadium development in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The new home of the mercurial Tampa Bay Rays franchise is part of a larger $6.5 billion investment in the region that will expand over twenty years to include 4,800 residential units, another 1,200 units of workforce housing, 600 senior residences, a 750-room hotel, 4,000-seat concert venue, and 1.4 million square feet worth of office space, in addition to the 30,000-seat stadium. Another 50,000 square feet of civic space will be added along with a minimum of 90,000 square feet worth of conference space, all of which is bookended by the new Carter G. Woodson African American Museum Of Florida.

Rendering courtesy of Hines

Renderings made public in this week’s announcement from the club reveal a terraced exterior that’s meant to “bring the outside in” with activated concourse levels lined in biophilic elements and framed b...

ACSA issues joint statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion censorship in education

2023-09-21T17:39:00-04:00

The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) has joined its sibling organizations in landscape architecture and planning in opposing the concerted efforts of far-right lawmakers to prevent the inclusion of race and racism topics into curricula in states including Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, South Dakota, and Virginia.

"This united declaration stands as a strong objection to the legislation that silences educators from sharing the histories of the architectural profession. Practitioners, educators, and students must be granted access to the complete narrative. Being privy to only a portion of the story significantly disadvantages us all," Mo Zell, the 2023-24 ACSA President, said in a statement.

"The boards of directors of the three organizations representing university programs and educators in architecture, landscape architecture, and planning — ACSA, CELA, and ACSP, — jointly communicate our opposition to any legislation that prevents educators from teaching and shari...

Renzo Piano selected to design new Center for Arts & Innovation in Boca Raton, Florida

2023-09-07T13:35:00-04:00

Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) has been announced as the winner of an international RFP process to deliver a new arts and innovation cultural project in Boca Raton, Florida.

The Italian studio beat out Foster + Partners, Ennead, and OMA for the commission of the new Center for Arts & Innovation and will begin the design and development process next month toward an expected 2025 groundbreaking. The Center will be located in the city’s downtown core and offer local K-12 learners facilities equipped for STEAM education while providing much-needed cultural infrastructure. RPBW's proposal also calls for a six-venue program of flexible performance spaces with a capacity for up to 6,000 people.

“We have worked for the last five years to arrive at this milestone moment. The fact that this firm takes two to three commissions at any time in the year just underscores the fact that this project is that enticing to the global market,” the Center’s CEO, Andrea Virgin, indicated via a press ...

The world's largest 3D printed structure rises in Florida

2023-07-03T14:01:00-04:00

Florida-based 3D printing construction startup Printed Farms has announced the completion of a structure it claims is the world’s largest 3D printed building — a "luxury horse barn." The company is known for completing Florida’s first permitted 3D printed house in Tallahassee. It used Danish 3D printer producer COBOD’s BOD2 construction 3D printer for the undertaking.

Video courtesy COBOD on YouTube

Located in the southern Florida city of Wellington, the barn spans 10,105 square feet with a height of 13 feet. It has a total length of 155 feet and a width of 83 feet. The structure was constructed to withstand extreme local weather conditions, including hurricanes and tropical storms. Its 3D printed walls serve to create a cavity and air gap, which aims to provide natural cooling to the building. The construction process involved five moves of the printer, with the two sides completed twice and the middle section executed once.

Previously on Archinect: The world's largest 3D printe...

Zaha Hadid Architects may lead the design of new Surfside condos replacement

2023-06-16T12:55:00-04:00

Zaha Hadid Architects has been revealed to lead the design of a new condominium project proposal at a site once occupied by the collapsed Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Florida.

The project is being commissioned by DAMAC International, which purchased the lot for $120 million in July of last year. Plans call for a 12-story design whose split massing contains 57 total residential units lined by curved balconies and connected at the roof level by a glass-bottomed swimming pool.

Two separate design variations were submitted to local planning authorities for consideration, each based on “alternative interpretations” of planning ordinances, which have come under increased scrutiny in the wake of the 2021 tragedy.

Scheme B. Image courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects.

In a statement, ZHA Director Chris Lepine said: “We are honored to have been chosen for this very special project. While no work of architecture can ever remove the pain of the past, nor should it, a truly ambitious w...

Collapsed Surfside condo tower had ‘severe strength deficiency’ in pool deck, preliminary findings say

2023-06-15T14:43:00-04:00

Federal investigators have released their preliminary findings into the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside, Florida. As reported by The New York Times, the building’s pool deck contained a “severe structural deficiency,” with construction in some areas failing to meet both building codes and its original design parameters.

The investigation is being led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and has so far included witness interviews, a review of historical records, tests on building materials, and the analysis of models for structural performance. The original design and construction of the building have been examined, as have any renovations and repairs in the years since. The potential for corrosion, ground settlement, and vibrations from nearby construction to contribute to the collapse has also been examined.

“In summaries of their preliminary findings ahead of a hearing Thursday, the investigators wrote that the pool deck’s design ...

For architects planning a Florida move, BMA is seeking a Director of Miami Operations

2023-06-14T08:20:00-04:00

Following last week’s look at an opening for a Director of Making Studio at Columbia University, we are using this week’s edition of our Job Highlights series to explore an open role on Archinect Jobs for a Director of Miami Operations at BMA Architects.

The role calls for an individual to oversee BMA’s Miami office and act as the firm’s primary representative in the South Florida market. Among the many responsibilities for the position, which requires an architect either registered or seeking registration in the state of Florida, are to serve as a mentor for junior staff, cultivate client relationships in the region, and “actively seek and maintain opportunities for firm involvement and presence in the local community.”

Related on Archinect: Miami was America’s most competitive rental market in 2022, according to new report. Image: Antonio Cuellar via Pexels

Why the role interests us

With its emphasis on integrating with Miami’s architectural and construction community, the role at...

HOK enlisted by Jacksonville Jaguars to reimagine stadium

2023-06-08T13:05:00-04:00

HOK has announced that it is partnering with the Jacksonville Jaguars to undertake the renovation of TIAA Bank Field into the “Stadium of the Future.” The transformation seeks to invigorate the Jaguars franchise and spur the development of the city of Jacksonville.

Rendering courtesy of HOK

Work towards a long-term stadium solution began in July 2020 with a thorough engineering assessment of the current stadium. It was concluded that it was possible to address the stadium’s challenges through a renovation rather than new construction.

“From stadium discussions starting in 2016 to the formal process launched in July 2020 and now concluding, our objective has always been the same — lock in a promising future for the Jaguars and help our downtown become an economic engine to lift all of Jacksonville, particularly areas that have been underserved,” said Jaguars owner Shad Khan.

Rendering courtesy of HOK

HOK is joined by Impact Development and Management as the owner’s representative, al...

Florida International University to develop virtual reality games for training future AEC workers thanks to NSF grant

2023-03-27T12:06:00-04:00

Florida International University (FIU) has been awarded a grant to develop games that can train individuals for roles in architecture, engineering, and construction. The funding, awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), will support FIU’s exploration into how institutions can train skilled workers at a time when robotics and autonomous systems are increasingly being deployed in the AEC sector.

As part of the project, faculty from the institution’s School of Architecture and School of Computing and Information Services will work together to develop a platform that will use virtual reality games to train workers through a personalized learning program. The learning tool is expected to focus on operational industrial robots, with learning delivery tailored for "differences in ability, experience, and sociocultural backgrounds."

The tool will see users asked to explain their decisions ...

HOK and Arquitectonica will design a new football operations complex for the University of Miami

2023-01-17T11:54:00-05:00

HOK has announced plans for a new seven-story football operations center to be located at the heart of the University of Miami's campus in Coral Gables, Florida.

Working alongside local mainstays Arquitectonica, the pair will deliver a new 172,000-square-foot facility beset with amenities for student-athletes and connected to the school’s existing Carol Soffer Indoor practice field that was completed five years ago. The school is trying to market itself as an elite national powerhouse to recruits and will do so with the new performance-driven Hurricanes complex, which rivals others designed recently for its in-state rival Florida Gators, LSU, and the new national champion Georgia Bulldogs.

Image courtesy HOK

The first floor of the building will feature a public lobby, locker rooms, nutrition center, and dining hall. It will be followed by an “immersive digital experience” aimed at wooing prospective athletes on the second floor, while the next three contain a wellness center, spa, t...

Miami was America’s most competitive rental market in 2022, according to new alarming

2022-12-28T17:50:00-05:00

[In] the last two years, looser regulations and the widespread adoption of remote working attracted even more people to settle in the Sunshine State. As a result, newcomers found themselves competing with those who were already hunting for apartments in the area, making Miami-Dade the hottest area for renting in the U.S.

Nationwide, an average of 14 people were said to be competing for each vacant apartment unit, which remained on the market for an average of 32 days. Miami-Dade County was joined by four other Florida rental markets in the top 20 despite adding a total of 34,000 new dwellings within the calendar year in what can be seen as a direct reflection of the state’s migration patterns since the start of the pandemic.

Rents in South Florida were reported to have increased by more than 24% between 2021 and 2022 to an average of $2,841, leading HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge in June to declare the area to be the “epicenter of the housing crisis in this country.”

“Florida’s not going down,” one local developer told WaPo in September. “I would be the first to tell you if we saw it. We get to see it on the front lines, just by the amount of people that walk into the sales center. … I just don’t see it changing.”

...

Concern over shortage of construction workers in Florida following Hurricane Ian damages

2022-10-06T18:20:00-04:00

Damage caused by Hurricane Ian’s massive storm surge, flooding and winds will require skilled workers to help the state of Florida rebuild. Staffing the projects to restore the state is easier said than done. Both Florida and the U.S. as a whole have many job openings and few skilled laborers. As some projects in the state halt, they may free tradespeople for other vital work.

Figures reported by Construction Dive indicate a cause for concern regarding a lack of skilled workers for the many openings available, which has been magnified in the wake of Hurricane Ian. The disaster, which hit Florida in late September, has resulted in billions of dollars in property damage, the displacement of more than 40,000 people, and the deaths of at least 106 individuals.

According to employment data from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry added 407,000 jobs in August, with Florida reaching 593,000 employed construction workers in that month. However, unemployment for those with construction experience was almost 4%, indicating that the number of openings trumps the quantity of construction workers looking to fill them. While this is alarming especially at a time when demand for workers is high, it’s believed that the work required in Florida will still attract skilled employees. Construction Dive highlights the presence of federal and state f...

Building codes saved this Florida town from Hurricane Ian’s ravages

2022-10-03T17:30:00-04:00

Once the storm passed, the sight of Punta Gorda may have surprised some people. While it had typical post-hurricane storm debris, downed trees and several flooded streets, a number of homes and buildings appeared largely intact and many showed only minimal damage to their exteriors. How is it possible that the coastal city wasn’t more devastated by a storm that ranks among the most powerful to ever strike the United States? One major factor, according to some experts, are modern building code

While other southwest Florida communities like Fort Myers were devastated, Punta Gorda, a town of about 20,000, was saved thanks to strident code changes enacted in the wake of 1992’s Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Charley twelve years later.

“It’s a demonstration that updated building codes really work,” University at Buffalo architecture professor Nicholas Rajkovich told the Post. Stricter structural load continuity, impact-resistant windows, and hurricane shutters are all hallmarks of a so-called “modern” code whose continued absence the AIA warned against earlier in the summer. Florida alone has an estimated $3.7 trillion worth of properties that are susceptible to storm and wind damage, making the need to further adapt lessons offered by the survival of Punta Gorda's Harvard Jolly-restored Charlotte High School imperative in the minds of experts statewide.

Previously on Archinect: The building industry is preventing resiliency efforts in areas increasingly affected by deadly st...

ODA's latest experimentation in form could deliver another mixed-use tower to burgeoning Fort Lauderdale

2022-09-13T15:02:00-04:00

Revisiting a booming city and building type that has garnered accolades of late, ODA-Architecture has just revealed details of another mixed-used high-rise tower project in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida — one of America’s fastest-growing communities.

The latest addition to the city’s skyline will feature a 1.1-million-square-foot cylindrical design located in the newly-developed Rio Vista neighborhood. The 633 SE 3rd Ave development is said to include a total of 830 residential units and another 13,000 square feet of commercial space situated on top of a podium lined with a recessed three-dimensional screen facade that doubles as a decorative element at night and covers a 951-capacity parking garage underneath.

Rendering: VERO Digital, image courtesy ODA.

From the activated ground floor area up, the 47-story structure is defined by a sequence of stepped round volumes encased in a glazed facade with alternating balconies that nicely break up the m...

Surviving Surfside: Documentary about Miami condo collapse announced

2022-07-07T14:04:00-04:00

The Miami Herald is partnering with 101 Studios and Grain Media on a documentary that will investigate the deadly 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida. Surviving Surfside will interrogate the failure of the 12-story building in the early morning of June 24, 2021 that left 98 people dead and is still under official investigation, the companies announced on Tuesday.

The Herald's in-depth breaking news coverage of the disastrous Champlain Towers South collapse one year ago recently won the paper a Pulitzer Prize and will be a primary source of information for the upcoming Surviving Surfside documentary.

Allied Works selected to lead Vero Beach Museum of Art expansion and renovation

2022-06-24T13:45:00-04:00

The Vero Beach Museum of Art (VBMA) has announced the appointment of international design firm Allied Works Architecture to lead the expansion and renovation of the 35-year-old institution. Recognized for its arts and cultural projects, Allied Works will focus on building the museum's resiliency and future growth needs.

Allied Works was chosen following an extensive nine-month search that included a line-up of 13 national architecture firms and an eventual shortlist of four. VBMA worked with architect selection advisor David Meckel to conduct the selection process. The design team will be led by Allied Works founder Brad Cloepfil and Principals Chelsea Grassinger and Gabe Smith.

"We're delighted to have the opportunity to work with everyone at VBMA and bring this project to fruition," said Grassinger.

"Brad, Chelsea, Gabe and their team fully embraced the complexities and opportunities of our project, which involves opening up to a lush park environment while simultaneously buildi...

Surfside condo collapse site purchased for $120 million to make way for luxury residential high-rise

2022-05-25T16:38:00-04:00

DAMAC Properties, a Dubai-based luxury real estate developer, has agreed to pay $120 million for the site where 98 people died in June when the Champlain Towers South residential tower collapsed in Surfside, Florida.

DAMAC, owned by Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani, reportedly known as the “Donald Trump of Dubai,” set the minimum price of $120 million for the 2-acre property in 2021. No competing bids were submitted by last Friday’s deadline, resulting in the cancelation of an auction scheduled for May 24th. DAMAC reportedly plans to build a high-end residential project on the site, which will likely be a for-sale condo project.

Previously on Archinect: 12-floor residential building collapses in Miami, leaving at least four dead and 159 missing

Whether building on the site is safe or not is up for debate. Despite geotechnical engineering reports on the site having not been released, some experts believe the site itself remains buildable and safe, claiming that the Champlain Tower South’s collapse was primarily due to the design and maintenance of the building.

Previously on Archinect: Several groups call for higher building safety standards after Surfside collapse

Others, however, believe the...

ODA unveils renderings of two massive, mixed-use towers in Fort Lauderdale

2022-05-24T17:08:00-04:00

New York-based architecture and design firm ODA-Architecture has released renderings of its Ombelle project, a pair of mixed-use towers in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Developer Dependable Equities tapped ODA to design the architecture, interiors, and landscape for the 1.5-million-square-foot structure.

Image courtesy ODA

The development, which comprises two mirrored 43-story towers, will offer 1,100 rental units, 11,217 square feet of retail space, and 27,837 square feet of indoor amenities. Ombelle is proposed to rise at 300 Northeast 3rd Avenue in the city’s growing Flagler Village neighborhood.

Image courtesy ODA

The two defining, sculpted towers rise from a 9-story podium, which is supported by a double-height colonnade. According to the architects, this reinforces a visual connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces and is aimed to foster public activity. The ground level is designed to house a mix of retail and restaurants, with open-air seating.

Image court...

Can nature sue an architecture project? A lake in Florida thinks so

2022-04-22T12:12:00-04:00

In what has been dubbed a milestone in U.S. legal history, a lake has filed a lawsuit against a developer in Orange County, Florida. Lake Mary Jane is suing property developers Beachline South Residential in Florida state court over the developer’s plans to construct a new development on the north side of the lake, converting 1,900 acres of wetlands and forests into a mixed-use residential, commercial, and office development.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the lake by attorney Steven Meyers, claims that the development would “adversely impact the lakes and marsh who are parties to this action,” causing injuries that are “concrete, distinct, and palpable.” As a deep-dive article in The New Yorker notes, the case marks the first time that an inanimate slice of nature has sued an entity in a U.S. courtroom, sparking a debate over the extent to which natural objects have rights.

The proposed Meridian Parks development. Image via City of Orlando

The proposed development, named Meridian P...

Archinect - News

Renzo Piano releases first concept designs for The Center for Arts & Innovation in Boca Raton, Florida

12 featured architecture jobs in Florida

Miami Beach preservationists sound the alarm over concerning new building safety law

Preliminary NIST report on Surfside condo investigation details key flaws that factored into building's collapse

SHoP designs first U.S. real estate tower for Mercedes-Benz in Miami

​Brooks + Scarpa completes vibrant park pavilion and sport complex in South Florida

Design proposal for Miami's new tallest tower by BMA Architects submitted

Docomomo US stands against 'anti-diversity' policies, reinforces values for upcoming Florida symposium

KPF’s tapered Tower 36 wins approval in Miami

Undulating balconies define Pininfarina’s 45-story tower in Fort Lauderdale

An open role at the University of Florida demonstrates AI's rise in architectural education

Tampa Bay Rays partner with Hines for new MLB stadium development in St. Petersburg

ACSA issues joint statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion censorship in education

Renzo Piano selected to design new Center for Arts & Innovation in Boca Raton, Florida

The world's largest 3D printed structure rises in Florida

Zaha Hadid Architects may lead the design of new Surfside condos replacement

Collapsed Surfside condo tower had ‘severe strength deficiency’ in pool deck, preliminary findings say

For architects planning a Florida move, BMA is seeking a Director of Miami Operations

HOK enlisted by Jacksonville Jaguars to reimagine stadium

Florida International University to develop virtual reality games for training future AEC workers thanks to NSF grant

HOK and Arquitectonica will design a new football operations complex for the University of Miami

Miami was America’s most competitive rental market in 2022, according to new alarming

Concern over shortage of construction workers in Florida following Hurricane Ian damages

Building codes saved this Florida town from Hurricane Ian’s ravages

ODA's latest experimentation in form could deliver another mixed-use tower to burgeoning Fort Lauderdale

Surviving Surfside: Documentary about Miami condo collapse announced

Allied Works selected to lead Vero Beach Museum of Art expansion and renovation

Surfside condo collapse site purchased for $120 million to make way for luxury residential high-rise

ODA unveils renderings of two massive, mixed-use towers in Fort Lauderdale

Can nature sue an architecture project? A lake in Florida thinks so

Brooks + Scarpa completes vibrant park pavilion and sport complex in South Florida