foster + partners: faena house, a miami beach luxury condo

argentine fashion-designer-turned-real-estate-developer alan faena has turned to foster + partners once again to design a luxurious residential condominium– this time in the quickly changing and increasingly starchitect-studded greater miami area. the ‘faena house’ in miami beach is slated to be a 24 storey apartment block bound by the atlantic and elevated above the tranquility of native plants, grasses and lily ponds.

after an incredibly successful parallel project in argentina’s formerly decrepit puerta madera, it seems faena has found a particular niche in large-scale development and revitalization. while miami beach is a far cry from a post-industrial stretch of landscape along rio plata, the quick-visioned mogul is artfully pushing the limits of collaboration, having invited both phillipe starck and foster + partners to work in south america for the first time and now partnering lord foster with OMA and raymond jungles in the development of a high-end cultural district along miami’s waterfront.

faena miami beach final from faena.com

operating under the principal that ‘ideas beget culture’, the developer has paired with russian billionaire leonard blavatnik to purchase whole blocks of collins avenue, a famously active stretch of the south beach fame. this second faena distict is also about curating a neighborhood and aims to continually create a lifestyle that blurs indoor and outdoor living. the faena house’s balconies are equally spacious as the expansive penthouses, which range from 1300-4700 square feet.

the typology is fundamentally a hybrid that draws from the luxury architectonics of europe seaside life and introduces a healthy amount of imagination. each unit fetches for 50 million USD– reportedly a south beach record– and will boast full height living spaces, generous ocean views and wraparound terraces. the dramatic verandas will characterize the facade among the art deco quarter with a rhythm of white curves built by the same company responsible metal envelope of frank gehry’s walt disney concert hall. fully glazed living areas will complete a total work of luxurious residences that capitalize on the beauty of the ocean.

view of the proposed faena distinct complexes
image © faena

the faena house high rise will both continue and break from miami beach’s famed art deco quarter
image © faena

image © foster + partners

image © foster + partners

rounded vertices create a distinct formal language for the building
image © foster + partners

view of one of the generous water features
image © foster + partners

a stepped plan and generous overhangs provide a passive cooling system
image © faena

each apartment will have generous ocean views
image © faena

balconies are almost equal in floor area as interiors
image © foster + partners

blurring the line between indoor and outdoor living was the primary aim of the design
image © faena

balcony view
image © faena

each penthouse will have a pricetag of about 50 million USD
image © faena

despite the exorbitant price, the building is already at half occupancy
image © faena

a slice of the miami skyline can be seen from the wraparound balcony
image © faena

the highrise in the beachfront context
image courtesy of faena

view of the upcoming faena district
image courtesy of faena

site plan
image courtesy of faena

project info:

area: 5,759 sqm
client: faena group
collaborating architect: reuvelta
quantity surveyor: gardiner & theobald
landscape architect: raymond jungles inc.