The design for the new U.S Headquarters for Banco Santander in Miami has been developed to satisfy the objectives and goals of Santander Global Property.  The main goals of the client were to create new corporate offices for Banco Santander as well as flexible leasable space for additional tenants, build a tower that can withstand hurricane-force winds and be certified LEED Gold, and create an iconic building between the neighboring buildings on Brickell Avenue and the city of Miami. The goals of a creating a hurricane-proof building and to reaching LEED Gold certification are crucial components of the design that will greatly contribute to the ecological impact and economic opportunities of the building.
 
A fundamental strategy to achieve LEED Gold certification is to orient the main axis of the tower in an East-West direction, perpendicular to Brickell Avenue.  Orienting the narrowest face of the building in this manner diminishes the amount of solar exposure, takes into consideration the predominant direction of the wind, and at the same time, optimizese the views of the building toward the horizon of Miami.  To face the threats of associated floods from a potential hurricane, the tower is located in a high plaza that maintains the main occupied areas above the flood plain, providing an improved and faster recovery operation in case of a natural disaster. 
 
The site is a point of articulation where the shopping center of Miami is widened toward the North and a zone of highly residential density extends to the South.  The views toward the North show the skyline of Miami and the South facing views enjoy a view of the Bay of Biscayne. 
 
The focus of the project attempts to achieve balance between two of the most important works of contemporary architecture of Miami, -one signified only by its size, the other by its unique profile- the adjacent towers Espirito Santo Plaza and Millenium.