The Miami Design District is located in what was initially a pineapple farm. Over the years, the district became a center for furniture design, but by the mid-1980's as the retail landscape changed, the district went into disrepair. A joint venture between several developers and design firms transformed the once-gritty Miami neighborhood into a glamorous international luxury shopping destination. The site encompasses a four-block pedestrian promenade anchored by two department stores, with rooftop gardens and mature shade trees lining the streets.
Miami Design District integrates incredible art, design, architecture and urban design to make a spectacular environment where the number of mega brands per square foot rivals that of Fifth Avenue. From the Concrete Alley with its series of arches that transform an alley into an open and intriguing cloister to the infamous Buckminster Fuller Fly's Eye Dome, this district exemplifies high-design. Before it is all done, 300 native trees, including Florida Mahogany and Gumbo Limbo, will be planted to enhance the neighborhood, whose centerpiece will be a 30-foot-wide pedestrian mall running north and south from 38th to 42nd Streets. The project has achieved LEED for Neighborhood Development designation, and Palm Court has been certified LEED Gold for Core + Shell by the US Green Building Council. Palm Court utilizes an infill site, capitalizing upon development density, community connection and access to public transportation. The team managed construction waste, used recycled, locally-sourced and sustainable materials, optimized energy performance, and utilized systems to reduce water use. Nearly every roof in the development is planted as a green roof, providing not only thermal cooling but a stunning rooftop landscape design mimicking past hurricane patterns over Miami. The project provides 50% more open space than required by the zoning codes."
Credits:
- Photographer - Ciro Coelho
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