Danish firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has completed its first stateside condo in Coconut Grove, Miami. A plush paradise for the well-heeled and their pampered pets, the Grove at Grand Bay is also aiming for LEED Gold certification and boasts a degree of sustainable design.
The Grove at Grand Bay comprises twin glass towers that reflect the local architectural style and twist as they rise to a total height of 20 floors. The attractive twisting design was conceived to ensure that each resident enjoys a choice view – which you'd probably expect considering the starting price of US$2.95 million per unit.
"By creating twisting towers that rise side-by-side but never cross paths, we were able to optimize views, outdoor spaces and the flexibility of our floor plans while allowing the buildings to interact with one another," explains BIG founder Bjarke Ingels.
Each of the 98 available units has already been snapped-up, with the exception of a sole remaining $28 million penthouse. The new owners will be able to take up residence in a few months and enjoy amenities including butler service, a 5 star luxury spa, another luxury spa for pets, and rooftop pools.
The project is aiming to become Florida's first ever LEED Gold (a green building standard)-certified residential tower. In an effort to meet the requirements for certification, over 30 percent of the building materials used include recycled content (such as steel, metal studs, and gypsum board), while over 80 percent of construction waste from the build was also recycled.
In addition, low-flow water fixtures and carefully-chosen landscaping that's mostly made up of local species of plants promise significant water savings. The latter point seems like a no-brainer, but is by no means the case in many architecture projects.
Indeed, the landscaping is quite impressive in its own right. The work of local designer Raymond Jungles, the 3 acre (1.21 hectare) site includes around 500 trees, over than 15,000 plants, and several water features, which promise to create a lush oasis for residents.
The Grove at Grand Bay is developed by Terra, which also has another Miami-based luxury condo in the works by Renzo Piano.
