Global firm Fentress Architects has revealed the first images of its $620 million overhaul of the Miami Beach Convention Center. Redesigned in collaboration with Rotterdam-based design landscape architect West 8 and local practice Arquitectonica, the 1.44 million-square-foot venue is slated to reopen ahead of the 2018 Art Basel Miami Beach show.
Fentress and Arquitectonica created a design inspired by natural elements from the ocean, beach, and underwater life. More than 500 linear aluminum fins will wrap the façade to create a curvilinear undulation inspired by the nearby waves, maximizing shading as an efficient curtain wall. In addition to the angular fins, the exterior will be outfitted with hurricane- and projectile-resistant glazing. Interiors will be adorned with finishes reminiscent of receding water, seafoam, and local coral.
West 8 added 12 acres of green space and 1,287 trees, with the pervious acreage of the 25-acre campus increasing by 245 percent. The natural shoreline of the Collins Canal will be restored by planting more than 570 new Mangroves and adding a multitude of other trees, as well. Over six acres of parking lot is being transformed into a public park, including a tropical garden, game lawn, shaded areas, veterans’ plaza, and public art. In total, $7 million is being allocated to Art in Public Spaces, representing the largest response to a call to artists in the history of Miami-Dade County.
