Skanska USA announced that it signed a $101 million contract to build one of the largest and most iconic structures now under way in Miami: The Patricia & Phillip Frost Museum of Science.
The Grimshaw Architects-designed, 250,000-sf Frost Museum of Science will serve as an economic engine and cultural anchor for Miami’s fast-growing urban core. Upon completion in the summer of 2016, the museum is projected to attract more than 600,000 visitors to downtown Miami each year.
The museum is located within the new Museum Park complex, adjacent to the Pérez Art Museum Miami, overlooking Biscayne Bay and PortMiami.
Highlights of the new science museum will include a state-of-the-art planetarium, a 500,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, a five-story Innovation Center and café, a sustainable roof with a hydroponic garden, and numerous exhibition galleries. The project will pursue LEED Platinum certification.
“We have been working with Skanska for seven months, and we’re pleased with the progress,” said Gillian Thomas, the museum’s president and CEO. “While we still have work to do with the building and exhibitions, our new facility is quickly advancing in the heart of downtown Miami. We can now begin to envision our completion and the impact this museum will have on the region.”
The Frost Museum of Science, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers.
Related Stories
| Jul 2, 2014
First Look: Qatar World Cup stadium design references nomadic heritage
Organizers of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, recently unveiled designs for the second stadium.
| Jul 2, 2014
SHoP designs what would be Brooklyn's tallest building
JDS Development partners with SHoP to construct a 70-story building at 775-feet tall, unprecedented for downtown Brooklyn.
| Jul 2, 2014
The doctor is in the firehouse: New clinic to be built in California fire station
Designed by WRNS Studio, the Firehouse Clinic will encourage local residents with limited healthcare access to consider them as an alternative to the emergency room, especially for preventive care.
| Jul 2, 2014
Emerging trends in commercial flooring
Rectangular tiles, digital graphic applications, the resurgence of terrazzo, and product transparency headline today’s commercial flooring trends.
| Jul 2, 2014
Grimshaw's 'kit of parts' design scheme selected for Qatar sports facilities program
The series of projects, called the Al Farjan Recreational Sports Facilities, have been designed in such a way that the same basic design can be adapted to the specific requirements of each site.
| Jul 1, 2014
Peter Zumthor's LA art museum plan modified with bridge-like section across main thoroughfare
After his design drew concerns about potential damage to LA's La Brea Tar Pits, Peter Zumthor has dramatically revised his concept for the Los Angeles Museum of Art.
| Jul 1, 2014
China's wild circular skyscraper opens in Guangzhou [slideshow]
The 33-story Guanghzou Circle takes the shape of a giant ribbon spool, with the floor space housed in a series of boxes suspended between two massive "wheels."
| Jul 1, 2014
Hyper-speed rendering: How Gensler turns BIM models into beauty shots in seconds
In search of a fast rendering solution, Gensler looked to the gaming and moviemaking industries for the next breakthrough tool: Octane Render.
| Jul 1, 2014
Sochi's 'kinetic façade' may steal the show at the Winter Olympics
The temporary pavilion for Russian telecom operator MegaFon will be wrapped with a massive digital "pin screen" that will morph into the shape of any face.
| Jul 1, 2014
7 ways to cut waste in BIM implementation
Process mapping, split models, and streamlined coordination meetings are among the timesaving techniques AEC firms are employing to improve BIM/VDC workflows.