SkyRise Miami, the city's soon-to-be tallest tower is now under construction, ArchDaily reports.
Rising above Biscayne Bay, the 305-meter tower will include three viewing decks, a restaurant, nightclub, and exhibition space. Its most unique feature, however, will be the chance for visitors to bungee jump off of its upper floors.
Arquitectonica, who designed SkyRise, have said that they hope the tower will meet LEED Gold Standards when built. Construction is set to be completed in 2017.
Here is the Arquitectonica's design statement:
A continuous sheet of translucent mesh rises one thousand feet from the bay to the sky. It wraps around a colossal atrium and descends dramatically, forming a sweeping curve. At its base the curve becomes a monumental canopy under which cascading steps create a performance amphitheater. The resultant form can be interpreted as a giant wave, or a billfish jumping out of the water, a giant fishing net, or even a flowing dress over a sensuous form. More simply, the curving silhouette references Miami’s tropicality.
Unlike other observation towers, Sky Rise Miami is asymmetrical. It is decidedly directional, facing the Caribbean and South America. It welcomes our visitors from the south into North America. It is our abstract version of the Statue of Liberty. A sculpture to view from afar, and also to explore within.
Also, unlike other observation towers, Sky Rise Miami is more than a viewing deck. It has content. A cluster of functional levels at its top contain multiple restaurants, shops, an event ballroom, an exhibit gallery, a soaring domed theatre, a night club, and a thrill ride that allows daring visitors to drop at high speed from the sky to the bay along its facade. It emphasizes current thinking that architecture is not only about form, but also about content.
Related Stories
Building Team Awards | Apr 9, 2015
Multifaced fitness center becomes campus landmark
A sloped running track and open-concept design put this Building Team to the test.
Building Team Awards | Apr 9, 2015
Nation's first LEED-certified bus depot
A bus garage in Harlem shows that even the most mundane of facilities can strut its environmentally sensitive stuff.
Building Team Awards | Apr 9, 2015
Setting the bar for port-of-entry design
Whenever you eat a tomato from Mexico, there’s a one-in-three chance it came through this LEED Gold gateway.
Building Team Awards | Apr 9, 2015
Big D’s billion-dollar baby: New Parkland Hospital Tops the Chart | BD+C
Dallas’s new $1.27 billion public hospital preserves an important civic anchor, Texas-style.
Building Team Awards | Apr 9, 2015
IPD-driven fusion facility serves science and student life in Chicago
In dire need of modern science labs and a student union, North Park University built both—in the same building.
Building Team Awards | Apr 9, 2015
‘Prudent, not opulent’ sets the tone for this Catholic hospital
This Building Team stuck with a project for seven years to get a new hospital built for a faithful client.
Building Team Awards | Apr 9, 2015
9/11 museum triumphs over controversy
The Building Team for this highly visible project had much more than design, engineering, and construction problems to deal with.
Building Team Awards | Apr 7, 2015
Unique test facility will help make wind power more feasible
A new facility at Clemson University makes it possible to test the huge stresses that large-scale wind turbines must be able to withstand.
Cultural Facilities | Apr 7, 2015
Mies’ Martin Luther King Jr. Library to get makeover
The architects say the modernization aims to improve “Mies in a contemporary Miesian way.”
Cultural Facilities | Apr 6, 2015
Berkeley’s West Branch Library generates more energy than it uses
The 9,400-sf facility is California's first Net Zero Energy-certified building.