'A landmark of her achievements': Inside Zaha Hadid's 82-storey Miami tower
23 February, 2020
In the heart of Miami, among the towering skyscrapers that go above Biscayne Bay, the eye-catching new luxury condominium building by late star architect Zaha Hadid dominates the skyline.
The unique curved "exoskeleton" design of the main one Thousand Museum building has created buzz. The futuristic structure may be the only residential space in downtown Miami with a helipad.
The high-rise also honours the legacy of the Iraqi-British architect, who died in Miami in 2016 at age 65, when the 62-storey tower was developed to about the eighth floor.
"We felt a major obligation to make certain we got this specific project right because Miami was her second home," said Chris Lepine, who took over as director of the $300 million (Dh1.1 billion) project after her death.
"She spent considerable time here, had a whole lot of friends."
Hadid - sometimes dubbed "Queen of the Curve" on her behalf love of the proper execution - was the first woman to win the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, and also won two Stirling Prizes, Britain's highest honour for architecture. Forbes once named her probably the most influential women on the planet.
Among her acclaimed projects are Beijing Daxing AIRPORT TERMINAL, the London Aquatic Centre for the 2012 Olympics and Abu Dhabi’s 842-metre-long Sheikh Zayed Bridge.
About half a year ago residents began getting into the Miami building, which includes experienced the works since 2012 and may be the last residential tower created by Hadid.
"We wanted to be sure that people left this landmark of her achievements," Lepine said.
The 261-metre One Thousand Museum - Hadid's first tower in the Western Hemisphere - is currently the crown jewel of her design firm, which is based in London.
It has 84 units, two pools, a juice bar and the helipad, among other high-end amenities. In the fitness center, a swirling tornado spiral staircase snakes up to the spa.
The penthouses offer views of the park surrounding the Perez Art Museum Miami, the bay and then out to the Miami Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The structure's signature curves stick out among the original linear buildings near One Thousand Museum.
"There are 360 angles. Why only use one of these? Why only use 90 degrees?" said Lepine, paraphrasing his late boss.
Form and function
The building's "exoskeleton", as architects call it, flows from the bottom to the top of its exterior, and sinks sometimes between your tower's windows.
That structure is not simply for aesthetics - it really is functional. It is manufactured from white fibreglass-reinforced concrete, and allowed the design team to play with open spaces inside, with no need for columns.
"The exoskeleton for all of us was a genuine look at how architecture could possibly be synthesised with structure into an overall very elegant expression," Lepine said.
"It has all the basic factors of a residential tower, but I believe configured in ways that's very, very clever, very innovative and in a way that sort of sticks out.'
Prices begin in the $5 million range, and skyrocket to $24 million for units that take up a whole higher floor.
Source: www.thenational.ae
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