first look into oolite arts' miami home by barozzi veiga

Oolite Arts Unveils Miami Home by Barozzi Veiga

Oolite Arts, one of Miami’s leading supporters of visual artists unveils renderings of its new headquarters designed by architectural firm Barozzi Veiga. Located in the flourishing arts district, close to many artist studios, homes, and galleries, the building will serve as a cultural hub, enriching the visual arts ecosystem of the community and raising dialogue about architecture and art. The exterior adopts an enigmatic form with scattered concrete volumes erecting from a rectangular base structure, generating a play of light and shadow.

The new building aims to offer a generous space; a home where artists and the community can meet, interact, and exchange ideas. The building will accommodate up to 21 free, individual studio spaces for artists, an exhibition gallery, a theater, two classrooms, a makerspace, a print studio, and the organization’s offices. In addition to that, it will host a community garden and an easily accessible rooftop.all images ©Oolite Arts

pops of nature peek through the concrete envelope

The project — which will be the award-winning architects’ first-ever built project in the U.S. — sought to accentuate Barozzi Veiga’s standards for sustainability. The architects opted for an interior courtyard that invites the public and incorporates rich vegetation, coming in contrast to the exterior sculptural design. Thus, behind the building’s enigmatic envelope, an unexpected oasis pops up forming a new kind of public space in the neighborhood.‘We wanted the project to be a surprise for the artists and the community. Behind this opaque concrete wall, you don’t expect to have such an exuberant garden. This can create a kind of beautiful surprise when you discover the interior,’ adds Barozzi.

Conceived to open in 2024, the project puts both artists’ and community’s needs first. In an attempt to achieve a balance between public and private, the plan subtly opens up in each direction. This way, it fosters community activity, inviting locals and artists to exchange new perspectives throughout the building’s interior.

achieving an energy-conscious design

Through this project, the team provides an energy-conscious design. Its vertical typology incorporates skylights and optimizes control of the climate by powering solar chimneys and wind catchers. With these features, the building will certainly achieve LEED certification and set the standard for other leading art institutions. While the building is focused on an energy-efficient strategy, it still maintains the artist as the protagonist. The diffused natural light offers spatial scenes where artists can realize their personal explorations, all the while enhancing the experience for the visitors.

Among several energy-efficient, sustainable design features, Oolite Arts’ new $30 million arts campus will include a community garden

‘Oolite Arts redefines and elevates the practices of South Florida artists not just through funding but with an imagination and support system that filters creativity beyond conventional methodologies,’ said Carl-Philippe Juste, 2021 Creator Award recipient. ‘It is a vital and a much-needed gasp of fresh air, exhaling equity with every breath and creating a diverse art atmosphere where we all can breathe.’

‘We understand architecture as a background for life or work. We try to give the artist the best conditions to work. And that means finding this balance between a very intimate space, which is represented by the studio, and a space for community life, which is part of oolite’s DNA,’ says Fabrizio Barozzi of Barozzi Veiga.

A spacious exhibition gallery for artists to display their work