Forty Five NE 41 Street

The Forty Five NE 41Street Building is a two story retail project situated in the heart of Miami Design District, poised between an architectural trifecta comprising the De La Cruz Art Museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and opposite the Museum Garage.

Due to the underlying zoning, the building was limited in height to 40 feet. Through a vigorous challenge of the Miami 21 Zoning Code parameters, a building height of 45 feet was ultimately achieved. By incorporating the additional height afforded by the parapet extension into the overall design of the facade, a taller interior space on the second floor was realized, which overall, translated to a higher quality leasing environment. From an exterior perspective, the subtle height increase ensures the building relates to the taller presence of the adjacent buildings.

An idea of contradiction permeated initial ideas, settled on total darkness, a simple absence of light and color. The blackness absorbs and eliminates solar reflection, creating a facade that is restorative when measured against the eclectic tapestry of facades within the District.

The south facade, divided by a sequence of black vertical fins and horizontal projections that act as a brise-soleil, reduces sunlight entering the building. In addition, the pattern and orientation of the vertical fins unsettles the conforming square proportion and scale of the building.

An assemblage of 96 vertical fins and exposed slabs are clad in a custom formed, Shou Sugi Ban–inspired, fiber reinforced plastic; a low maintenance material that will not fade or deteriorate in the extreme South Florida weather.

Email interview conducted by John Hill.