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Local Architects Aim to Bring Diversity to the Industry

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blog-10-15-2Over the years, the U.S. has produced few African American architects. Noticing the lack of diversity, architect and co-owner of MC Harry & Associates, Craig Aquart, launched Black Architects in the Making to introduce African American youth to the field.

CBS 4 News visited Aquart’s firm to learn more about BAM and meet the students.

Craig Aquart is a veteran architect and co-owner of M C Harry & Associates headquartered in Miami.

Even though he has dozens of projects in development, he is on a mission to spread what he calls the gospel of Architecture.

CBS4 recently visited Aquart while he and his staff hosted a group of students from the community to expose them to various career opportunities in the field.

“I did some research and found out that of the 113-thousand registered architects in the United States, less than two-thousand architects were actually black and the statistics were even worse when you look at black females. There were only 430 in the field. I realized there was a disparity there and one of the reasons for that is the awareness in the black community is severely lacking,” said Aquart.

In response, Aquart created BAM, which stands for Black Architects in the Making with the support of the Miami Center for Architecture & Design (MCAD).

For the last two years he and his staff have hosted workshops for students in Overtown, Liberty City and Richmond Heights just to name a few.

“We encourage students to sketch regularly, and like everything else practice makes perfect,” said Aquart. He advises students to at least sketch one image per day.

Aquart says BAM has reached more than 300 students in two years.

To read more, visit CBS4 here.

 

Choeff Levy Fischman Design Featured in Ocean Home Magazine

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screen-shot-2018-10-08-at-1-44-40-pmChoeff Levy Fischman has designed countless of luxury Tropical Modern homes throughout South Florida and beyond. Principals Ralph Choeff, Raphael Levy, and Paul Fischman have elevated the firm’s quality of design to garner the attention of global entrepreneurs, C-suite executives, NFL players, MLB players, and Hollywood celebrities. Their designs have been recognized for combining indoor-outdoor living and environmentally conscious elements into their designs.

Most recently, the firm was recognized in Ocean Home Magazine where they were included in the magazine’s November issue for a home they designed in Miami Beach for racing legend Eddie Irvine. Ocean Home has also recognized CLF as one of the country’s Top 50 Coastal Architects for the past three years.

The former Formula 1 driver for Ferrari and Jaguar – he won four Grand Prix races in 1999 – splits his time between Europe, the Bahamas, and Florida. He’s also building houses, and very nice ones at that.

“He builds really spectacular Tropical Moderns in Miami and Miami Beach,” says landscape architect Christopher Crawley. “He has impeccable taste.”

For his newest home in Hibiscus Island in Miami Beach, Irvine approached Ralph Choeff, principal with Choeff Levy Fischman. Known for cutting-edge design, the firm has come to redefine the midcentury modern style in Florida. And they’re acknowledged masters of the Tropical Modern idiom.

To read more, visit page 53 in Ocean Home Magazine’s digital version here.

OBR Highlights Architects Throughout the Month of ‘Archtober’

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Today marks the first day of Architecture Month, also knows as ‘Archtober’ – a month-long celebration of architecture and design.

Once popularly known for its influential Art Deco movement, Miami has reinvented itself, while preserving characteristics from its past, to become a world-class architectural destination. Today, it’s not uncommon to hear of world-renowned architects selecting Miami as the location for their next project.

We have a deep appreciation for the architects in Miami that embody its unique styles and have put our city on the map. So, throughout the month of October we will be spotlighting our architecture clients and how they’ve impacted our local built environment.

Award-winning architecture firm, Choeff Levy Fischman, is well-known for its Tropical Modern home designs that have transformed Miami Beach’s most luxurious neighborhoods, including the Venetian Islands and North Bay Road. Architecture and design firm Stantec is responsible for some of Miami’s best residential and hospitality venues, which are all designed with the community in mind. An architect by trade, Robert Ayona is the co-founder of Bloommiami, a design and production firm specializing in the creation of retail pop-ups for luxury brands. Kean Office for Design + Architecture is a knowledge – and creativity – based practice with a focus and dedication to architecture and design, leading to highly distinctive environments, buildings, interiors and experiences.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram @obrmarketing to learn more about each client and their work.

Stantec Completes Solitair Brickell, Miami’s Newest and Boldest Residential Building

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Stantec has made its own unique mark in the Miami skyline with the design of the new 50-story Solitair Brickell residential building. The tower features a unique zig-zagging façade that’s inspired by the Medjool date palm tree.

Miami’s architectural landscape, especially surrounding Brickell City Centre, is synonymous with reinvention. The latest beacon of change is Solitair Brickell, a bold residential tower designed by Stantec and developed by ZOM Living. The 50-story high-rise sports a unique angular basket-weave facade that riffs on the Medjool date palm tree commonly seen in South Florida. Inside, 438 residential units ranging from studios to two penthouse suites come with millennial-friendly amenities such as a billiards lounge, luxury cabanas, one of Miami’s highest rooftop resort–style pools, a fitness center, outdoor yoga space, and 6,200 square feet of ground retail space.

To read more visit Interior Design.

Hospitality Leaders Discuss Industry Trends at Miami Hospitality Designs Awards Panel

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dsc_4812-copyTop leaders in South Florida’s hospitality industry gathered yesterday for the Miami Hospitality Design Awards’ inaugural panel discussion, Distinctive Hospitality Design in Miami’s Evolving Neighborhoods.

 Hosted by the award’s founders Oberhausen Marketing & Public Relations, the Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association and AIA Miami Chapter and in support of IIDA South Florida, the panel took place at the Hyatt Centric Brickell.  The panelists included Stantec Director of Interiors, Susan LaFleur; The Barlington Group Co-founder, Bill Fuller; and The Genuine Hospitality Group Chef and Owner, Michael Schwartz.

Moderated by Indulge Magazine Editor in Chief, Evan Benn, the panelists discussed how consumer demands are affecting hospitality architecture, design and programming.

 Downtown Miami, Brickell, Wynwood, Little Havana, and Coconut Grove are some of these evolving neighborhoods that have emerged with their own distinctive identity.

“We take into account what speaks to us about the neighborhood and translate it into the architecture and interiors to make each project relatable to its location,” said Susan LaFleur.

“Although the food has to be great, I’ve always said it’s not the one thing that makes a restaurant successful,” said Michael Schwartz. “We want our restaurants to fit with the neighborhood, so we look at where we are, what we’re trying to accomplish and how that plays into the design.”

“Little Havana is a passion project for me because of my Cuban American background,” said Bill Fuller. “We seek out historic properties in Miami to give them a new life, but always wrap the property’s history into what we do to keep the building’s and neighborhood’s authenticity.”

The panel is part of the awards’ program leading up to the second annual Miami Hospitality Design Awards to be held in spring 2019. The awards will honor the architects and designers whose hospitality projects have enriched Miami’s built environment. Next year’s awards will include new categories, giving additional designers an opportunity to showcase their work.

Stay tuned for details on the 2019 Miami Hospitality Design Awards by visiting http://miamidesignawards.com.

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FRONTIER Building Breaks Ground On New Krispy Kreme

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Be on the lookout for that famous “HOT NOW” Krispy Kreme sign. FRONTIER Building has broken ground on its first Krispy Kreme project. Construction is underway for an updated storefront to replace the existing location.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (NYSE: KKD) broke ground Monday on a new North Miami store.

The doughnut and coffee chain company aims to replace its store at 590 N.E. 167th St. with a new one at 530 N.E. 167th St. Once the new store is completed, the current location will be redeveloped as a Wawa gas and convenient store.

Miami-based Frontier Building is overseeing the development of the 3,576-square-foot store. Expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2019, the store will feature a drive-thru and 11 parking space.

To read the full story, visit the South Florida Business Journal.

Photo by: Willy de la Cruz

PCCSF’s Dr. Gerald Lavandosky Gives Insight On When to Call 911

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Emergencies are hectic and can often times be confusing. Is medical attention needed within minutes of the incident? Or can it be resolved at home or the following day with your primary physician? Dr. Gerald Lavandosky of Pediatric Critical Care of South Florida weighed in on when you should and shouldn’t call 911 on Reader’s Digest.

You should call when you or someone else is experiencing a severe allergic reaction. If anyone begins showing signs of a severe allergic reaction – increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, swelling tongue – call 911. Severe allergic reactions can lead to death quickly – in under an hour – so you may not have enough time to get to the emergency department. Emergency responders can give immediate treatment with epinephrine.

“Parents and caregivers are not trained medical professionals, so making a medical decision as to whether an allergic reaction is 911-worth can be challenging,” says Gerald Lavandosky, MD a pediatric critical care doctor at Pediatric Critical Care of South Florida.

To read the full story, visit Reader’s Digest.

 

2018 Miami Hospitality Design Awards Panel

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The founders of Miami Hospitality Design Awards, Oberhausen Marketing & Public Relations, AIA Miami and the Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association (GMBHA), invite you to join South Florida hospitality leaders for a panel discussion on distinctive hospitality design in Miami’s evolving neighborhoods. The panel, moderated by Evan Benn, Editor-in-Chief of INDULGE, will be held at the Hyatt Centric Brickell on Thursday, September 20, 2018 from 4 pm to 7 pm.

The panelists include:

Susan LaFleur, Stantec’s Director of Interiors, is an award-winning interior designer with expertise spanning hospitality and residential projects across the country. Her knowledge of emerging trends, detailed focus on design aesthetics, and a deep understanding of her client’s needs allow her to take a holistic design approach, creating spaces that are timeless and tell a story for each guest.

Bill Fuller is co-founder of Barlington Group and co-founder of Madroom Hospitality, the company behind the Little Havana bar, Ball & Chain. A preservationist at heart, Fuller has partnered with local entrepreneurs and owners of emerging concepts to bring them to the Miami urban core and house their concepts in the historic properties that Barlington Group has diligently worked to assemble and restore.

Michael Schwartz is a James Beard Award Winning Chef and owner of The Genuine Hospitality Group. As a nationally recognized celebrity chef, Schwartz has successfully developed complementary concepts focusing on great service and delicious food, with a genuine culture embraced by employees and guests alike.

For more information on the panel, visit Miami Hospitality Design Awards. Click here to register.

OBR Team Takes the Brightline to Visit Restoration Hardware

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If you live or work in Miami, the thought of driving at least an hour to get to West Palm Beach is enough to discourage many from making the trip north. But all that changed with Brightline, the new high-speed passenger railroad by All Aboard Florida that connects passengers to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and, you guessed it, West Palm Beach.

For our annual summer team bonding outing, we decided to check out the highly-talked about train for ourselves, so we booked our tickets and headed north. We departed from Brightline’s Miami station, MiamiCentral, and arrived in West Palm an hour and a half later. Centrally located, the train dropped us off walking distance to all of West Palm’s downtown shops and restaurants.

Our reason for visiting WPB was to check out the relatively new Restoration Hardware mansion-like gallery and have lunch at the rooftop restaurant. We spent some time admiring the beautiful décor before heading up to the fourth floor for lunch.

Bright whites, opulent chandeliers, marble table tops, and gold, and wood accents make the rooftop space feel ultra-lux – not to mention the large glass atrium letting in an abundance of natural light. The menu didn’t miss a beat either. Our team each ordered something different, but the one thing we all couldn’t resist were the fries! Zero complaints about the food and design eye-candy at this venue.

We spent the rest of the afternoon strolling through Flagler Park and Clematis Street before hopping back on the train to Miami. It was nice to have a relaxing day out of the office with our incredible team! We highly recommend you check it out for yourself!

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MCAD’s BAM Sparks Interest in Architecture in African-American Students

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Of the 105,000 registered architects in the U.S., less than two percent are African Americans. In an effort to increase their representation in the industry, architect Craig Aquart of M.C. Harry and Associates created Black Architects in the Making.

BAM is a hands-on educational workshop focused on educating students, primarily African-American, on the architectural profession, and is supported by the Miami Center for Architecture and Design and the American Institute of Architects Miami chapter.

The definition of an architect is “a person who designs buildings and advises in their construction.”

So, it makes sense that the American Institute of Architects Miami Chapter would help build a program that focuses on educating middle and high school students, primarily African American, on the architecture profession.

The U.S. has produced very few African-American architects. According to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, of the 109,748 registered architects in a 2016 survey, only 2 percent are African Americans.

In an effort to increase that representation, Miami architect Craig Aquart of M C Harry & Associates created Black Architects in the Making to join the already established Architects in the Making program. The American Institute of Architects Miami Chapter supports both.

“BAM is a seed planting program that we must continue in more communities to diversify the architectural profession,” Aquart said in an email. “Students who knew little or nothing about architecture and the role it plays in their communities, now understand that their involvement in building better communities is essential to their well-being.”

Since its inception in 2015, Black Architects in the Making has designed more than 21 workshops led by African-American professionals. The efforts have reached over 300 students in Overtown, Liberty City, Richmond Heights and Homestead.

To read the full story, visit the Miami Herald.