Green Good Design Awards Tell a friend

Surfside, Florida, USA

Architects: Arquitectonica
Landscape Architects: ArquitectonicaGEO
LEED/Sustainability: BVM Engineering
Client Construction Team: Swire Properties Inc.
Client: Swire Properties Inc.
Photographers: ArquitectonicaGEO

Developed by Swire Properties Inc, Brickell City Centre is a prime example of urban redevelopment where mixed-use buildings create a sustainable, well-balanced neighborhood with opportunities to work, live, shop and socialize in an established community. With a presence in Miami for the last 40+ years, Swire Properties has been consistently committed to making Miami and the Brickell neighborhood a world-class urban destination all the while being a leader in sustainability. Featured throughout Brickell City Centre is a masterpiece of art and science, The Climate Ribbon™, an elevated trellis of steel, fabric and glass that spans 150,000 square feet and connects the city blocks while protecting visitors from inclement weather, capturing sea breezes, collecting rainwater for reuse, and allowing visitors to enjoy natural light in an open-air experience. The Climate Ribbon concept originated at the beginning of Brickell City Centre’s planning to address how to link several blocks of open-air retail promenades. The concept developed to be a continuous canopy that floats above the promenades and maintains a comfortable micro-climate.

The Climate Ribbon is suspended over the public promenade and cools the promenade, protecting it from rain and direct sunlight. The structure is shaped to capture the ocean breezes and channel them to cool off the spaces. Blades are angled to block radiant heat and to create shade and diffuse glare. The property uses its Climate Ribbon to collect up to three million gallons of rainwater a year. This water is collected to irrigate a nine-acre rooftop park and is stored in multiple cisterns and is distributed throughout the property to feed the irrigation systems and replenish the cooling tower loop systems.

The faceted geometry of the glazing and the flowing fabric ribbons look sculptural but are designed as per careful analysis of the sun angles and breezes. Transparent panels let indirect natural light in to lighten the spaces. With the help of computers, a simulation was created to accomplish this naturally conditioned climate. Beyond its functional performance, the Climate Ribbon is a unique sculptural icon for Brickell City Centre that expresses Swire Properties’ commitment to sustainable development. The Climate Ribbon is all about light. The sculptural element harnesses the movement of the sun to show how light changes from moment to moment throughout the day. The blades pick up the crisp light against glimpses of Miami's blue skies. Additionally, there are many state-of-the-art systems within the sustainability aspect of the Climate Ribbon. In fact, the Climate Ribbon’s air and water capturing attributes all hold significance in the Core & Shell Gold Certification criteria. This system criteria applies to the entire building footprint, as well as all the interior spaces. Moreover, all finishes, fixtures and devices were reviewed and selected through the LEED consultant to ensure the maximum savings in terms of water/energy and money.

The LEED rating system is designed to ensure that the developing neighborhood integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building. The many forms of public transportation available to Brickell City Centre as well as the very well-developed pedestrian access throughout the property, including the pedestrian bridges have resulted in earning a lot of points for connectivity. All the infrastructure from the street lights, to traffic lights, to display boards have all been reviewed and selected through the LEED consultant to ensure the maximum energy / money savings.