Faena House
Architect: Foster + Partners
Client: The Faena Group
Location: Miami Beach
Completion: 2014
The Foster + Partners–designed condo tower Faena House is the first development to break ground in an expansive a new cultural and residential quarter in Miami Beach named the Faena District. The 18-story beachfront condo boasts of custom designed, floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors and wraparound terraces that provide sweeping views of the sea and the city. To soften the impact of strong winds while also maintaining an airy outdoor-oriented interior space, aerodynamic components were implemented into the design from details on the glass balustrade to the linear curves of the building.
“The form of the building is very much governed by the aerodynamic response to the wind but also governed by the search for the best views toward the ocean,” said Brandon Haw, senior partner at Foster + Partners.
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The building’s glass and precast concrete exterior creates a sleek counterpoint to the rounded edges of the terraces. The structure, though modern, is intended to complement the neighborhood’s Art Deco-style buildings. In the words of Haw, “It was incumbent upon us to respect the architectural history of the site and the neighboring district but find an architectural expression that was of its time and that would be timeless.”