GSA Unveils Design for New Federal Courthouse in Huntsville

GSA Newsroom

Excerpt: The new courthouse’s design is neoclassical in style, with a large pedimented entry portico flanked by gently arcing symmetrical wings. The design incorporates modern security, sustainability and technological features necessary for a 21st-century federal courthouse, while integrating classical organizational, proportional and design elements. In addition, the design features a large formal public lawn with symmetrical plantings that will help both to create a sense of space and to focus the eye towards nearby panoramic views.

“GSA is excited to give the people of Huntsville a glimpse into what their future downtown will look like through this courthouse design,” said Kevin Kerns, Regional Commissioner for GSA’s Public Buildings Service Southeast Sunbelt Region. “GSA strives to provide a state-of-the-art facility that meets the long-term workspace and security needs of our partners in the Northern District of Alabama.”

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Huntsville U.S. Courthouse

Fentress Architects Recognized as a Top North American Architecture Firm in 2021

Fentress Architects is Among 13 firms Recognized by Architizer’s Inaugural A+ Firm Awards

Fentress Architects was recognized with a Special Mention in “Best in North America” for the inaugural Architizer A+ Firm Awards. Dedicated to celebrating the world’s most innovative AEC firms, the prestigious awards program recognizes talented teams of all sizes, geographies, and specializations that conceptualize, design, and deliver the world’s best architecture.

“We are honored, humbled, and elated to have received this exceptional recognition by Architizer,” said Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects. “Our commitment to advancing the industry and passion for creating innovative and inspired spaces is deeply rooted in the Fentress culture. This accolade would not have been possible without our team members’ hard work and dedication, as well as the continued support of our clients and partners.”

Since the firm’s 1980 inception, Fentress has been dedicated to designing human-centric, timeless, and inspired public architecture. The firm’s projects have been recognized with over 550 distinctions for design excellence and innovation, including over 110 Design Awards from the American Institute of Architects. Founder Curtis Fentress was the eighth architect in private practice to receive the Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture, which is considered one of the highest awards for public architecture.

Fentress’ diverse $43 billion portfolio ranges from expansive public environments such as airports, convention centers, government centers, and educational facilities, to more intimate spaces like chapels. The firm is internationally known for its designs for the Denver International Airport in Denver, CO; the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, FL; the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX in Los Angeles, CA; the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA; and the Clark County Government Center in Las Vegas, NV. The firm recently completed the new Johnson County Courthouse in Olathe, KS; the new Concourse D at Nashville International Airport in Nashville, TN; the Denver Art Museum North Building Renovation and Welcome Center in Denver, CO; and the Concourse E Extension at Portland International Airport in Portland, OR.

Fentress is currently designing over 5.7 million square feet of projects including the new South Terminal C at Orlando International Airport in Orlando, FL; the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Nashville, TN; the Mickey Leland International Terminal at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, TX; the Terminal Lobby and International Arrivals Facility at Nashville International Airport in Nashville, TN; and the Royal Norwegian Embassy Renovation in Washington, DC.

To learn more about the Architizer A+ Firm Awards and to view Fentress’ select portfolio, please visit: https://architizer.com/firms/fentress-architects/

Building Design+Construction Ranks Fentress Architects Among Nation’s Top Architecture Firms

#5 Convention Centers + Conference Centers

#8 Airport Terminal

#10 Museums

Fentress Architects has ranked as one of the top architecture firms in Building Design + Construction Magazine’s 2020 Giants 400 Report. Internationally known for innovative, award-winning design of diverse building types—including airports, museums, convention centers, civic and government buildings, laboratories, and higher education facilities—Fentress ranked #36 on the Top 155 Architecture Firms list, progressing nine places from its 2019 ranking at #45.

In addition to the firm’s recognition as one of the Top Architecture Firms for 2020, Fentress, whose portfolio features over 40 convention center designs including the recently completed LEED Silver Miami Beach Convention Center, is ranked #5 in the Convention Centers / Conference Centers sector. With over $23.8 Billion and 115 Million square feet in aviation projects, the firm is ranked #8 in the Airport Terminal sector. Fentress also landed #22 in the overall Cultural Facilities sector, #10 in the Museums and Galleries category, #63 in the Office – Buildings / Core+Shell sector, and #98 in Office – All Building Work.

“We are proud that our firm was recognized for our continuous efforts to elevate design excellence in public architecture,” said Fentress Architects Principal in Charge of Design Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA. “Our ability to drive growth throughout the industry reflects our team’s unwavering commitment to innovation, along with the collaborative efforts of our clients and project partners.”

Miami Beach Convention Center. Photo: ©Tom Clark

Over the past year, Fentress’ projects achieved major milestones including the completion of four world-class projects: the new Johnson County Courthouse in Olathe, KS; the new Concourse D and Terminal Wings at Nashville International Airport® in Nashville, TN, which also became one of only five airport facilities in the US to achieve LEED v4 Silver certification; the Terminal Balancing and Concourse E Extension at Portland International Airport in Portland, OR; the Denver Art Museum North Building Renovation and Anna and John J. Sie Welcome Center in Denver, CO; and the Miami Beach Convention Center Expansion and Renovation in Miami Beach, FL, which also achieved LEED Silver certification.

Denver International Airport Passenger Terminal Complex. Credit © Ellen Jaskol

As a testament to Fentress’ recognition, the firm garnered 16 awards for design excellence and innovation in 2020 alone, including the American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Colorado’s Twenty-Five Year Award for the Denver International Airport as well as the AIA Western Mountain Region’s Twenty-Five Year Award for the Clark County Government Center. The Miami Beach Convention Center landed a Silver Award in the Façade category of the 2020 World Architecture News (WAN) Awards and a 2020 BEST Award in the Serve category from the International Design Association’s (IIDA) Rocky Mountain Chapter.

Rendering of the Royal Norwegian Embassy Chancery Renovation. 

Positioned for a strong 2021, Fentress is anticipating the upcoming completion of the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Nashville, TN as well as the Royal Norwegian Embassy Chancery Renovation in Washington, DC. Additionally, the firm is working on the new South Terminal C at Orlando International Airport, the Terminal Lobby and International Arrivals Facility at Nashville International Airport, the new Mickey Leland International Terminal at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the U.S. Courthouse Huntsville, Alabama, and the National Museum of Intelligence and Special Operations—just to name a few.

Officials Celebrate Opening of New Johnson County Courthouse

OLATHE, KS—On Thursday, January 7th, Fentress Architects joined the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners, County Manager’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney, District Courts, and the Facilities Management Department to virtually celebrate the completion of the new Johnson County Courthouse with an online ceremony including remarks and a virtual tour.

“It [Johnson County Courthouse] stands proudly, ready to fulfill its mission,” said Chief Justice Marla Luckert, Kansas Supreme Court, during the ceremony. “Its beautiful design creates an image that conveys and reflects a sense of the importance of the judicial process and the values of the judicial system—openness and fairness. Its designs and its features project an ideal of efficiency and effectiveness. Indeed, its structure and its flow will allow the judicial process to move forward in a secure and productive manner. The public will find a structure that eases access to offices and courtrooms. And the legal community, judicial officers, and court staff will find a facility adaptable to changing needs, demands, and the future growth of the community and its legal proceedings.”

The new 356,831-square-foot courthouse achieved substantial completion in August 2020 when it replaced the existing courthouse with a distinct, memorable, and efficient structure. Serving as an enduring icon for the community, the courthouse responds to the County’s needs to create a “building that reflects the significance of the justice system in our society and will serve [Johnson County’s] community for generations to come.”

The open and accessible design harmonizes with traditional federal architectural features to create an approachable, yet efficient facility that reflects the importance of justice and the Rule of Law. Photo: © Bill Timmerman

Congratulations to our partners—Johnson County, JE Dunn, and TreanorHL—for completing this iconic courthouse in record time, remaining on schedule and on budget.

BUILDING FEATURES

The “Emporium of Justice” serves as the courthouse’s main lobby where visitors enter and pass through security. Photo: © Bill Timmerman
  • Ribbon Wall: Curving Kansas-limestone wall that signifies the main entrance to the building and welcomes visitors to the site.
  • Lobby: An open, accessible design contributes to the transparency in government by making public functions visible to visitors from both the first and second floors. This unique program element was designed to provide visual connection and quick access to the most-frequently used public spaces.
  • Courtrooms: Twenty-eight total courtrooms including Criminal, Civil, Juvenile, CINC, Family, Probate, Traffic and Small Claims Courts; and Hearing Rooms. Separate circulation paths access each courtroom from a public entrance, staff and jury entrance, and entrance from a holding area with secure elevator to basement holding areas. Accessibility features include ramps to raised bench and witness areas, and height-adjustable judge bench and podium.
  • Technology and Flexibility: Technology and flexibility played important roles in the design process. All courtrooms are designed to be flexible, with the ability to change to a different courtroom type as needs arise. The well area of each courtroom utilizes raised access flooring, enabling courtroom configurations to change and technology to upgrade. The third level houses the District Attorney offices and was designed to become an additional court floor when future growth is required.
  • District Attorney: The third level is entirely dedicated to the District Attorney office and features open workspaces with access to natural daylight. The reception area was designed to be a modern welcoming and calming space, anticipating visitation by victims and witnesses. Collaboration and meeting spaces are scattered throughout the floor.
  • Jury Areas: Creating a welcoming and enjoyable jury experience was important to the design of the project. The main lobby features direct access to the Jury Assembly space. This space connects to the community room which features a variety of seating options and an outdoor terrace. The jury deliberation suites feature floor-to-floor glass with access to natural daylight and views.
  • Sheriff and Security Areas: The main lobby is designed to be secure but also welcoming. Glass walls provide separation and security but allow for visual transparency. The building features a sheriff suite with a private stair connecting the basement and level 1 areas. The basement features direct vehicle access for in-custody transfers, as well as an underground tunnel that connects the courthouse to the County Jail. The basement holding areas are connected to secure elevators for private transfer of prisoners to temporary holding areas between each courtroom. The building has a fifty-foot stand-off around the site.
     

Sustainable Design Takes Flight at Nashville International Airport’s New Concourse D

BNA’s Concourse D is One of Only Five LEED v4 Silver Airport Facilities in the United States

Fentress Architects is pleased to announce that the new Concourse D at Nashville International Airport (or BNA, as it is also known) has achieved LEED Silver certification, highlighting the project’s sustainable, wellness-oriented design and construction process. This distinction makes Concourse D one of only five newly constructed airport facilities in the United States, and one of nine airport facilities worldwide, to earn LEED Silver under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) rigorous LEED v4 standards.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. LEED v4’s flexible, performance-based approach and progressive sustainability benchmarks are designed to optimize building performance and support occupant health and wellbeing.

“Fentress Architects has been at the forefront of green building design for over four decades,” said Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects. “Energy conservation is a key element of not only our design approach, but our values as a firm. We are proud to have leveraged our expertise, along with the commitment of all partners involved in this significant project, to realize BNA’s forward-thinking sustainability standards.”

The Hensel Phelps | Fentress Architects Progressive Design-Build Team completed the $292 million, 115,000-square-foot expansion of Concourse D in July 2020, marking a major milestone for BNA® Vision—the dynamic expansion and renovation plan for Nashville International Airport. The project elevates the airport as a world-class facility with six domestic aircraft gates, public art, diverse traveler amenities, and improved ramp amenities and function space.

“LEED certification is a coveted mark of environmental distinction and innovation,” said BNA President and CEO Doug Kreulen. “We’re building not only a bigger airport, but also a better, ‘greener,’ more sustainable airport. I’m proud of our commitment to these principles and appreciative of all the hard work that went into obtaining this recognition.”

The project team’s integrative and passenger-centric approach incorporated several green design and construction components to optimize building performance and passenger comfort while minimizing environmental impacts, including:

  • Electrochromic glass that blocks out excessive sunlight and heat for passengers’ comfort while reducing glare and energy consumption for climate control;
  • Energy efficient and programmable lighting that dims when natural light is adequate for visibility;
  • Focus on human health and wellness with features including an abundance of daylighting, green cleaning practices, water bottle filling stations, public art installations, and more;
  • Light-colored building and paving materials that retain less heat, reducing energy use while mitigating heat-island effect;
  • Geothermal cooling reduces energy consumption and costs for climate control;
  • Water-conserving plumbing; and
  • Waste-reduction focus with recycling bins throughout the concourse and 80 percent of construction waste diverted from landfills.

Other key project partners include Corgan (master architect for BNA® Vision), I.C. Thomasson Associates Inc. (mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer), Smith Seckman Reid Inc. (commissioning agent), and S&ME (civil engineer/landscape designer).

“At every stage of the project, from the design process to construction, the project team remained committed to aligning our approach with the airport’s sustainability targets,” said Deborah Lucking, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Director of Sustainability at Fentress Architects. “Fentress is committed to advancing sustainability and human wellness in the built environment and achieving LEED v4 Silver showcases the project team’s dedication to going far beyond the minimum LEED requirements to achieve certification.”

As a Top Green Design Firm in the U.S., Fentress’ portfolio includes several world-class, sustainable airport facilities such as Mineta San Jose International Airport’s Terminal B (LEED Silver); Los Angeles International Airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal (LEED Gold); Sacramento International Airport’s Terminal B (LEED Silver); and San Francisco International Airport Replacement Airport Traffic Control Tower (LEED Gold). Fentress recently completed the new Concourse E Extension at Portland International Airport, which is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification. Additionally, the firm has several green airport projects underway, including Orlando International Airport’s new South Terminal C (on track to achieve LEED certification) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s Mickey Leland International Terminal (designed to LEED Silver).

2020 ‘Airport of the Future’ Global Student Design Competition Winners Announced

Winning Projects Reimagine Airport Mobility in the Year 2100 for One of the 20 Busiest Airports in the World

The Green Gateway—a zero-emission, highly sustainable multimodal hub—has been named the winner for the 2020 Fentress Global Challenge (FGC), an annual global student design competition launched in 2011 by Fentress Architects that represents the firm’s commitment to advancing innovative design in public architecture and attracts students from around the world.

Envisioning the Airport of the Future

With over 100 submissions from students in over 15 countries, this year’s competition challenged participants to envision airport mobility in the year 2100. Participants proposed a diverse spectrum of design concepts to improve the airport passenger terminal building, addressing the key factors such as futuristic transportation technologies, urbanization, globalization, technology, flexibility, security, project feasibility, and passenger experience.

The 2020 winning proposals reflect the radical innovation, quality and curiosity required to advance airport terminal design. The first-place prize is valued at USD$15,000, second place USD$3,000, third place USD$2,000, and the two People’s Choice Awards will receive USD$1,000.

“A deep passion for design and a creative mindset are the cornerstone of any successful design competition submission,” said Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects. “Each year, the submissions we receive are more innovative, spirited and dynamic than the prior year, which shows an exciting outlook for the future of terminal design. We’re greatly impressed by this year’s winners and every submission we received.”  

First-Place Winner: BANIYA, The Green Gateway, designed by Nikhil Bang and Kaushal Tatiya from the Southern California Institute of Architecture.

A Green Gateway

The winning concept, designed by Nikhil Bang and Kaushal Tatiya from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), transforms Indira Gandhi International Airport into a forward-thinking, sustainable multimodal hub that mitigates the enivironmental impacts of air travel while enhancing mobility across New Delhi, India—one of the most populated and polluted cities in the world. The design, dubbed “the Green Gateway,” proposes a future where airports are more than buildings; they provide a seamless connection to the cultural context of the site, from their planning to their form and materiality.

Embracing sustainable design strategies, the zero-emission concept features a decentralized system of one central terminal and six towers dispersed throughout the city. The towers provide a dual purpose, working as both air-purifying centers and stations for flying cars. This solution significantly improves mobility across the city by replacing domestic flights as one of the major sources of pollution.

The students’ submission describes the airport’s design as “zero-emission at the macro and micro level, improving mobility across the city by replacing domestic flight as one of the major sources of pollution and making air travel a person affair.”

Second-Place Winner: Sejkul, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Drive-In Airport by Dušan Sekulic, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Second Place Winner

What does travel and transportation look like in 2100? According to second-place winner Dušan Sekulic—a student at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia—fully autonomous pods, driving chairs, AI-powered navigation, and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft will be key ingredients to designing the next-gen airport experience. The concept proposes reimagining Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)—the busiest airport in the world—as a drive-in airport where travelers’ individual pods and driving chairs bring them directly to the aircraft. Playing off of Atlanta’s reputation as a “city in the forest,” the new ATL will feature a green design approach, merging the airport with the city’s skyline to create an “airport in the forest.”

Third-Place Winner: W.A.D, Floating Aero City designed by Yuanxiang Chan, Chaofan Zhang, and Zhuangzhuang King from Beijing Jiaotong University.

Third Place Winner

This year’s third-place winner responded to an ever-important reality: how airport design can prepare airports located in high-density seaside cities to adapt to the effects of climate change. Floating Aero City, designed by Yuanxiang Chan, Chaofan Zhang, and Zhuangzhuang King from Beijing Jiaotong University, provides a highly visionary approach to sustainable design. Located in Hong Kong, the airport responds to the site’s subtropical climate conditions and high-density issues. Floating on Hong Kong’s ocean, the airport’s three-dimensional, moveable platform reduces the impact on the natural terrain while increasing available land. The structure’s vertical form significantly reduces the time it takes passengers to flow from check-in to boarding, enhancing the overall passenger experience. Sustainable design strategies include daylighting, tidal power generation, a circular runway and hydrogen-powered aircraft.

#1 People’s Choice Award Winner: Arch YiYang, The Vertebrae, designed by Yi Yang Chai and Sharon Cho from the University of Malaya.

People’s Choice Awards

The Vertebrae, designed by Yi Yang Chai and Sharon Cho from the University of Malaya, won the #1 People’s Choice Award with more than 6,200 public votes. The biophilic design harmonizes the built environment with nature to create a “garden city”—the future airport archetype that forms a contextual representation of its culture. Located in Singapore, the concept infuses a biophilic and sustainable approach into every element of the design to renvision the airport as a model of sustainability while amplifying the country’s national identity.

#2 People’s Choice Award Winner: RIE, O’Pon the Hill, designed by Ridwan Arifin, Imaduddin Dhia Ul-Fath and Ervin Dwiratno from Yogyakarta University of Technology

Garnering over 5,900 public votes, O’Pon the Hill Airport landed the #2 People’s Choice Award. Designed by Ridwan Arifin, Imaduddin Dhia Ul-Fath and Ervin Dwiratno from Yogyakarta University of Technology, the concept blends culture, history and technology to envision the future of O’Hare International Airport. This futuristic terminal features a Smart Air Pad to accommodate vertical take-off and landing. Equipped with nanotechnology, the Smart Air Pad examines the performance of aircraft. Additionally, People Mover Pods move passengers throughout the terminal, enhancing circulation and the overall passenger experience.

2020 Fentress Global Challenge Jurors

This year’s winners were handpicked by seven esteemed jurors that are experts in aviation, architecture and engineering.

Jury members include:

  • Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA – Principal in Charge of Design, Fentress Architects
  • Agatha Kessler – Chairman, Fentress Architects
  • Lois Kramer – CEO, KRAMER aerotek inc.
  • George Miller – Richard Meier & Partners Architects LLP
  • Dr. Patricia A. Ryan – President, Decision Services International
  • Somer Shindler – Owner, J. Shindler Solutions
  • Bradley D. Schulz, FAIA

Looking Ahead

The future of aviation and airport terminal design is an ever-changing vision. The Fentress Global Challenge provides an essential platform for students to test their innovation and fuel their creativity. With the new year quickly approaching, Fentress is excited to prepare for the 2021 Fentress Global Challenge. Registration will soon go live. To stay updated on next year’s competition, please visit: https://fentressglobalchallenge.com/.

Miami Beach Convention Center Wins Silver at WAN Awards 2020

Another Significant Award for the Miami Beach Convention Center Renovation + Expansion

The Miami Beach Convention Center Renovation and Expansion was recently named the Silver Winner in the Façade category of the 2020 World Architecture News (WAN) Awards. As one of the largest architectural awards programs in the world, the WAN Awards showcases top projects from around to world to celebrate design excellence.

“The winning entries all clearly demonstrate the creative, outstanding work of the innovative and visionary architects worldwide,” said Alison Carter, Editor, World Architecture News.

Photo by ©Tom Clark

Innovative Façade Design

Located two blocks from the ocean in South Beach, the Miami Beach Convention Center’s undulating façade highlights features of the local environment and places an emphasis on rolling ocean waves. Over 500 unique aluminum fins are affixed to the exterior curtainwall. In traditional architecture, each fin would have been detailed by hand and laboriously redrawn with each modification. In this case, the utilization of parametric software has seamlessly interfaced with design and documentation models to provide accurate, real-time updates. In addition to saving manhours and ensuring accuracy, the parametric software facilitated the fabrication process, allowing coordinates to be directly imported into the manufacturer’s modeling software.

The resulting fins create an efficient curtainwall screen that responds to the solar orientation of each façade, generating dappled and diffused light from the intense tropical sun of Southern Florida. The result is daylit lobbies and prefunction spaces that provide a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor environments.

Learn more about the entry and the WAN Awards here.

The National Museum of the Marine Corps’ Innovative Design Featured in ‘The Military Engineer’

Curtis Fentress discusses the design process behind the National Museum of the Marine Corps in the November-December 2021 issue of The Military Engineer (TME).

In designing the National Museum of the Marine Corps, an in-depth research and discovery phase, combined with a commitment to sustainability and adaptability, has helped ensure a lasting legacy emblematic of the Marines’ esprit de corps.

In 1990, Congress passed legislation encouraging each branch of the military to create a national museum. In 1997, driven by the need to find a home for more than 60,000 rare artifacts, the U.S. Marine Corps partnered with the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation to create the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC).

Then in 2001, following a national design competition, Fentress Architects was selected to design an architectural form reflective of the seminal moments in Marine Corps history. Located on a distinct 135-acre site bounded by I-95 and the main entrance to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., the 120,000-ft2 museum recognizes the important history of the Marines and educates service members and civilians on their duties and skills through a combination of artifacts, interactive exhibits, and immersion galleries.

Now with the latest project phase underway, NMMC’s 30-yearlong project timeline showcases the tremendous effort to design and construct what has become not only a monumental national museum, but a facility aimed at supporting the mission of the Marine Corps for years to come.

Read the full article here

Miami Beach Convention Center Wins IIDA’s “Best Serve Award”

Fentress Architects is proud to announce that the Miami Beach Convention Center Expansion and Renovation has won the 2020 BESTaward in the Serve category from the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Rocky Mountain Chapter! As a leading interior design excellence awards program, the BESTawards recognizes projects that truly encompass “Brilliantly Executed Spaces and Thinking.”

Located in the heart of the city, the 1950s Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) needed a transformation befitting its reputation as a world-class entertainment destination the venue has become known for through annual events such as Art Basel and eMERGE Americas. To create a design that is quintessentially South Florida, we explored the surrounding culture and context, allowing for the design to become a contextual representation of the city.

One of the greatest challenges was harmonizing the 1.4 million-square-foot, grand scale building with the intimacy of human scale to create flexible, intuitive and daylit spaces. Inspired by the undulating ocean waves, the exterior façades’ “fins” – angled aluminum linear forms – filter dappled light throughout the daylit lobbies and pre-function spaces to provide a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor environments. This contextual inspiration was brought inside with colors and patterns that emulate receding water, sea foam, and local coral reef patterns.

“The finish palette is extremely thoughtful in regards to the surrounding nature while not going too over the top.” — 2020 BESTawards Jury

The 60,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom. Photo Credit: © Craig Denis

To truly capture the essence of Miami Beach in the design, we carefully studied how light enters the surface of water, as well as how it appears underwater from a diver’s perspective. This experience is celebrated in the entries leading into the event spaces, where portals with beacons of light intuitively guide visitors into the room. We also translated satellite images of nearby ocean waves, coral and sandbars into custom patterns for the carpets throughout pre-function and public circulation areas. Lighting fixtures were selected to create an uplifting, yet serene atmosphere reminiscent of the ocean. 

Natural light, glistening white columns, and subdued lighting punctuate the pre-function lobbies.

Swooping curves, glistening white columns, and subdued lighting punctuate the pre-function lobbies and the 60,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, drawing inspiration from Miami’s modernist architecture. The new Grand Ballroom features acoustic sound panels to heighten sound quality and LED lighting to produce both high-quality lighting and energy savings.

Surrounded by natural light and modern glass paneling, the Grand Ballroom’s 18,000-square-foot pre-function space overlooks contemporary artwork installed by Miami Beach’s Art in Public Places. Within this environment, MBCC visitors and staff experience digital displays incorporating event-specific branding, art and dynamic visual elements.

Watch the IIDA RMC 2020 BESTawards Virtual Event and learn more about this year’s winners here

Miami Beach Convention Center Brings LEED Silver Certification to the Heart of Miami Beach

MBCC is One of the Most Technologically-Advanced Convention Centers in the United States

The MBCC’s context-driven design reflects the natural elements of Miami’s acclaimed beaches, including waves, manta rays and coral reefs. Photo credit: ©Robin Hill.

Fentress Architects, a global design firm specializing in the creation of memorable public architecture, is excited to announce that the redesigned Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) recently achieved LEED Silver certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), marking a significant achievement in realizing the City of Miami Beach’s sustainability standards. Completed earlier this year, the 1.435 million-square-foot redesign included an expansion and renovation of the existing 1950s-era center to accommodate upgraded show needs while creating a sleek, modern and regionally inspired design befitting MBCC’s reputation as a world-class entertainment destination. The venue has become internationally known for hosting annual events such as Art Basel Miami Beach and eMERGE Americas.

“The Miami Beach Convention Center’s LEED Silver certification exemplifies the significant coordination, innovation and green building leadership that was demonstrated among the entire project team,” said Deborah Lucking, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Director of Sustainability at Fentress Architects. “This project stands as a testament of resilient, sustainable and forward-thinking design that will serve as a commitment to the community now and well into the future.”

Context-driven design

Located in the heart of Miami Beach, Florida, MBCC’s design realizes the City of Miami Beach’s vision to reposition the center as one of the most technologically advanced convention centers in the U.S. while enhancing the facility to comply with FEMA code as part of a resiliency plan to safeguard against future hurricanes and flooding. To create a design that reflects the city’s vibrant culture and natural environment, the design team immersed themselves in the landscape and lifestyle of Miami’s South Beach.

Fentress collaborated with Arquitectonica on the context-driven design to incorporate natural elements of ­the ocean, beach and underwater life such as waves, manta rays, and coral reefs. The exterior façade is designed with over 500 unique aluminum “fins” – angled aluminum linear forms – to create a curving undulation reflective of the nearby ocean waves. This contextual inspiration was brought inside with colors and patterns that emulate receding water, sea foam, and local coral reef patterns. The team also translated satellite images of nearby ocean waves, coral and sandbars into custom patterns for the carpets throughout pre-function and public circulation areas.

“This exciting milestone for the MBCC represents the culmination of a long journey, demonstrating the MBCC’s serious commitment to resiliency and sustainability,” said Freddie Peterson, General Manager at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Site responsive architecture

The façades’ angled fins create a curtain wall that responds to the solar orientation of each façade, filtering dappled light throughout the daylit lobbies and pre-function spaces to provide a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor environments. Hurricane-resistant connections and projectile resistant glazing on the exterior façade establish a strong and stable building envelope. Additionally, the elevation of critical building systems to the second floor allows the building to remain operational during hurricanes while raised floor elevations respond to rising sea levels.

Creating a resilient community amenity

In collaboration with West8, Fentress Architects transformed the existing six-acre surface parking lot into a vibrant public park – a key element of the project’s resilient design that includes a tropical garden, game lawn, shaded areas, and veterans’ plaza. Additionally, Bent Pool, a public art installation by international artists Elmgreen & Dragset celebrates Miami Beach’s dynamic culture and natural environment. In total, the design team added twelve acres of greenspace, preserved more than 100 existing trees, and added over 1,300 new trees. As a result, the design increases the pervious acreage of the 25-acre campus by 245% and significantly reduces heat island effect. The project is designed to a 25-year, 3-day storm event as the maximum stage for site drainage retention.

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