Miami Design District Becomes The First Neighborhood In The World To Achieve LEED Gold Certification

The Miami Design District has achieved the prestigious LEED Gold certification, becoming the first neighborhood in the world to achieve the Gold level (LEED ND: Built v4 Gold). Miami Design District marks the third neighborhood in the world to achieve LEED certification, which means “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” for Neighborhood Development (version 4 Built). The trendy, luxury shopping, art and entertainment enclave is setting the bar for sustainable development in communities across the country.

Miami Design District is home to a number of luxury fashion houses, art galleries, fine dining experiences, and cafés. The open-air, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, known for its many distinct and artistic façades, notably boasts a highly energy-efficient infrastructure.

Amongst the many sustainability aspects of the neighborhood’s redevelopment focus, several to highlight include: the re-infiltration of rainwater and restored natural hydrology made possible by the additions of expansive vegetated and high-albedo white roofs and tree-shaded streets, enhanced walkable streets and pedestrian walkways that promote community connectivity and encourage visitors to spend more time outdoors, and the integration of innovations from other Green Building Standards, including the WELL's feature "Beauty and Mindful Design," which incorporates different design elements and artwork that lend to a more calming environment.

In 2011 Island Planning Corporation (IPC) was brought in by DACRA and L Catterton Real Estate to design the Landscape Masterplan for the neighborhood. Miami Design District was inspired by the worlds leading shopping districts including Fifth Avenue and Rodeo Drive. IPC helped to establish a sophisticated visual continuity throughout the neighborhood, with mature canopy-covered streets and walkways, sculptural specimen trees, and extensive rooftop gardens.

Spinnaker Group, one of the most respected leaders in the green-building movement, provided LEED for Neighborhood Development consulting and energy modeling for this distinctive project, marking the neighborhood’s 4th earned LEED certification. Spinnaker Group also provided LEED Consulting, Building Commissioning and Energy Modeling for three other landmark projects within the Miami Design District including the Garden Building, featuring an intensive rooftop garden lounge designed by Island Planning Corporation (LEED Gold certified in 2013) - Palm Court, featuring underground parking to allow for a large open courtyard above for pedestrians and artwork, such as the Buckminster Fuller’s futuristic Fly’s Eye Dome (LEED Gold certified in 2015) - and most recently, Paradise Plaza, featuring intensive green roofs and underground parking with a large plaza above for pedestrians and artwork (LEED Gold certified in 2020).

Check Out WynwoodWalks, ArquitectonicaGEO's Newly Proposed Addition To The Wynwood Streetscape

ArquitectonicaGEO, the landscape design arm of architecture powerhouse Arquitectonica, has proposed WynwoodWalks as part of the Wynwood streetscape master plan. The proposal was commissioned by the city and first publicly presented at a community meeting on December 11. WynwoodWalks will activate the Wynwood outdoors, bringing walking paths, park, woonerfs and a wellness loop. Woonerfs are living streets and will be located on NW 3rd Avenue, NW 1st Avenue and NW 1st Place. The landscaped parks will flank Wynwood and will offer wellness amenities while the street designs will focus on adding shade.

Jade Signature Installs Towering, 65,000 LBS Kapok Tree Kicking Off The Tower's Countdown To Completion

Winter is upon us, but Fortune International Group's Jade Signature tower in Sunny Isles Beach is just beginning to “blossom.” At the beginning of December 2017, a giant kapok tree was installed at the entrance of the condominium tower under the watchful eye of landscape architect Raymond Jungles, signaling the building’s countdown to completion, a return to Sunny Isles’ roots, and the culmination of a developer’s obsession for perfection. On an even grander scale, the planting is part of an effort by the developers to reintroduce native and naturalized species to the surrounding environment. From 11:59 p.m. Saturday evening (December 2, 2017) into the early hours of Sunday morning, the massive, 65,000-pound, 38-year-old kapok tree was planted at the base of the tower. The tree is symbolic of the singular vision behind Jade Signature, an innovative collaboration between Raymond Jungles and a trio of industry titans: luxury real estate leader Fortune International Group, Pritzker Prize-winning architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, world-renowned, award-winning Parisian interior design firm PYR, led by Pierre-Yves Rochon.

“We turned to Raymond Jungles and his team to create a landscape that would work well with the surrounding waterfront setting,” said Edgardo Defortuna, President and CEO of Fortune International Group. “Naturally, Jungles is a mastermind in conceptualizing designs that are sustainable and unique.  The kapok tree, which thrives in the tropics, will be the finishing touch of this beachside oasis and a local landmark in and of itself.”

The kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra) is a species that was sacred in ancient Mayan culture, revered as a source of strength and resiliency.  Known for living for hundreds of years and capable of reaching extreme elevations (some have been recorded at heights of 250 feet), the tree’s unmistakable silhouette is defined by an umbrella-shaped crown made of numerous branches and arranged in horizontal tiers. As conveyed by Raymond Jungles, the implementation of grown trees, such as the kapok in this case, has immediate benefits, including erosion control, drainage improvements and an enhancement of native ecosystems. Because of the way the architects have positioned and oriented Jade Signature, the building will be bathed in an abundance of sunlight – a welcomed change from surrounding buildings that have large zones of shade. In addition, the developers hired French engineering firm Bouygues Construction (the same team behind the excavation of the Port of Miami tunnel) to dig 50' underground for the implementation of a concealed, 400-space parking garage, a first in Sunny Isles. This innovative design has thereby allowed the team to plant more vegetation at the surface of Jade Signature and offer a seamless connection from Collins Avenue to the beach. 

“In the case of Jade Signature, it was pretty easy to conceptualize and implement a landscape design because of so many of the wonderful spaces the architects created,” added landscape architect Raymond Jungles.  “The tower is going to offer, what I believe, will be one of the best amenity packages I’ve ever seen…and certainly one of the most dramatic and well-designed.  I think Jade Signature is really going to be a trendsetter.”

Jade Signature is located at 16901 Collins Ave. and was designed by Herzog & de Meuron. The tower feature 192 flow-through units with pricing ranging from $3.9 million and 1,581 SF for a 1 bedroom + den with 2 baths to $33 million for a 5 bedroom, 6,407 SF penthouse. Jade Signature will also features lush, landscaped grounds with beach access, a beach grill, resort style amenities including a lagoon style pool, fitness center and spa, wine cellar, library, teens lounge, 24 hour concierge and valet along with more five-star amenities that buyers demand in such a high-end, luxury building. Jade Signature features views of the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Intracoastal Waterway. Check-out PROFILEmiami's coverage of Fortune International Group reporting over $51 Million in sales in Q1 2017 at Jade Signature in Sunny Isles Beach.

Enjoy the video of the process installing the Kapok tree below.