Presented by renowned office developer Sterling Bay and local development partner Joe Furst of Place Projects, 545wyn will introduce the first Class-A office tower to Miami in over a decade and present a new generation of office space to attract innovative, forward-focused tenants. The design of 545wyn is driven by global architecture, design and planning firm Gensler – and its Miami office will be the building’s first tenant.

In approaching the design of the building, the team aimed to celebrate the city and the culturally established community of Wynwood while also contributing to the future of the neighborhood. Wynwood began as a garment district full of long, low-slung warehouses, in which the walls served as an inviting opportunity for graffiti artists. Gensler integrated 545wyn, a unique 10-story tower, with these surroundings by incorporating the neighborhood’s unfinished and industrial nature into the building and extending the energy of the colorful graffiti canvas under the parking floor slabs. 

Using the site’s L-shape to create interlocking volumes for office and parking, the team designed a structure with the office itself as a floating volume that fits the scale of the neighborhood. Parking is arranged in an efficient open-air garage fronting 26th Street. By eliminating the exterior wall of the garage, the mass is reduced, and the art of the neighborhood can be pulled in with murals and installations, each visible to all who pass by from as far as the highway.

Outdoor space is activated along the east side of the site between the buildings – a pedestrian “Paseo” that can be used by all. This alley, or Paseo, adjacent to the site was preserved to create a circuit of walkable space at the base that offers shade and lush gardens, engages pedestrians with  artwork familiar to the neighborhood, and provides dining and retail experiences that allow workers and the community to immerse themselves in the vibrancy of the surroundings. These public-facing offerings set 545wyn apart from many other buildings in Miami and create a draw for visitors to the community.

Inside, visitors are treated to a space that draws a connection between the site’s beginnings as a zipper factory to its function today as a highly active mixed-use space in the heart of a thriving arts scene. Preserving found objects within the old factory space and displaying them in the new lobby was part of a series of design gestures that celebrates the site’s rich history; sewing machine pieces are hung from colorful sewing “strings” at the front glass, and a feature wall finish is made of repurposed shirts by Eileen Fisher.

To further define the work experience in Miami’s creative district, efficient, expansive floor plates at the upper levels were designed that appeal to the tech-focused tenants and the community at large, which was made possible by interlocking the office and parking and by creating a side core building versus the standard center core building Miami residents are used to seeing. Rotating the office floor reduces the building mass and provides opportunity for additional outdoor space, a desire recognized as a top 5 workplace investment that delivers the highest value to tenants and their workers. Each floor was built to bear 14-inch slab-to-slab heights and floor-to-ceiling glass, both extremely unique design elements in Miami, finished off with both a North and a South facing balcony. The tower will also be complete with an 18,000-square-foot amenity deck that welcomes tenants with a variety of lounge spaces, an indoor/outdoor bar, and sculptural shading element.

545wyn delivers an expressive backdrop to the community, uniting all that surrounds as a beacon of creativity.