Starchitects > Towers ≈ Miami
As of March 2017, before starting my summer internship there, Miami was sitting in a slow real estate market with 46% unsold condo units, but developers were still building at alarming rates. I investigated this further as I began to notice the growing number of starchitect projects going up. The developers decided a new strategy with the slowing market, to move into an even higher end market (the international 1%) and to target them with brand-name architecture. The price ranges for these condos start at 2 million and go above 50 million. I wonder what this type of expansion in the category of the wealthy does for the political climate in a city where the median household income is $34,000. This was a rise by 1.5% since 2000, although the average condo price more than doubled during the same time period from $116,000 in 2000 to $277,000 in 2016. Alejandro Zaera Polo, in "The Politics of the Envelope", describes the problems that can arise with this building typology, what he describes as the "Vertical Envelope". It is the fastest growing sector since cities are densifying quickly. He describes this typology as, "usually driven boy more populist and iconographic concerns." Although he describes that this envelope can move beyond the iconographic and respond more to climatic concerns and nature. I see some of these designs responding in that way, which is in part to the architects, but as architects we must also notice that although the building may look "connected" to its surroundings it is really not, since there are security guards at the entrance. It can relate to how Colin Rowe describes transparent architecture as never really achieving actual transparency as architects dream to achieve.
Current Projects Under Construction in Miami:
One Thousand Museum Place by Zaha Hadid
Grove at Grand Bay by BIG
Sweetbird South Residences by Studio Gang
Park Grove by OMA/Rem Koolhaas
The Towers by Foster + Partners
Eighty Seven Park by Renzo Piano
Apeiron by Rafael Moneo
Jade Signature by Herzog & de Meuron
One River Point by Rafael Vinoly
Monad Terrace by Jean Nouvel
The Ritz-Carlton Residences Miami Beach by Piero Missoni
Residences by Aston Martin
Residences by Missoni
Current Projects Under Construction in Miami:
One Thousand Museum Place by Zaha Hadid
Grove at Grand Bay by BIG
Sweetbird South Residences by Studio Gang
Park Grove by OMA/Rem Koolhaas
The Towers by Foster + Partners
Eighty Seven Park by Renzo Piano
Apeiron by Rafael Moneo
Jade Signature by Herzog & de Meuron
One River Point by Rafael Vinoly
Monad Terrace by Jean Nouvel
The Ritz-Carlton Residences Miami Beach by Piero Missoni
Residences by Aston Martin
Residences by Missoni
Eighty Seven Park by Renzo Piano
Park Grove by OMA/Rem Koolhaas
I think globally this has become a trend now, to get the maximum star architects in their city.
ReplyDeleteI understand the logic of such decisions but at the same time, these cities are converting into museums, that eventually will not have any character to them, because it will push the non-rich people out.
I had no idea so many towers by famous architects were under construction there. I like the idea of towers as a way to densify the city and provide affordable housing solutions but obviously this is doing the opposite! I think many of these condos are empty most of the year because like you said, the residents are international. It's what happens when all control is given to the private sector with no oversight.
ReplyDeleteAnd in ten years, when more of the working class population has been pushed out of the urban center, necessitating the need for better public transportation, someone will argue how this sort of development directly benefited the public good.
ReplyDeleteThese super high end buildings on the coast have turned into a "great wall" to the sea, like it happens along Biscayne Blvd.
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