Architecture

Jean Nouvel-designed luxury high-rise tops out in Miami

Jean Nouvel-designed luxury high-rise tops out in Miami
Monad Terrace consists of two buildings, rising to 90 ft (27 m) and 150 ft (45 m)-tall
Monad Terrace consists of two buildings, rising to 90 ft (27 m) and 150 ft (45 m)-tall
View 20 Images
Monad Terrace is located in Miami's South Beach Bay area
1/20
Monad Terrace is located in Miami's South Beach Bay area
Monad Terrace's facade will feature a lot of greenery for shading and privacy
2/20
Monad Terrace's facade will feature a lot of greenery for shading and privacy 
Monad Terrace overlooks Miami's famous Biscayne Bay
3/20
Monad Terrace overlooks Miami's famous Biscayne Bay
Monad Terrace's facade integrates a honeycomb screen that's designed to diffuse incoming light and reduce heat gain, in addition to improving privacy, without unduly impacting the view
4/20
Monad Terrace's facade integrates a honeycomb screen that's designed to diffuse incoming light and reduce heat gain, in addition to improving privacy, without unduly impacting the view
Monad Terrace will include plush apartments starting at US$1.7 million
5/20
Monad Terrace will include plush apartments starting at US$1.7 million
Monad Terrace is arranged around a manmade lagoon
6/20
Monad Terrace is arranged around a manmade lagoon
Monad Terrace will host 59 residences
7/20
Monad Terrace will host 59 residences 
A rendered depiction of one of Monad Terrace's bathrooms
8/20
A rendered depiction of one of Monad Terrace's bathrooms
A rendered depiction of one of Monad Terrace's bedrooms
9/20
A rendered depiction of one of Monad Terrace's bedrooms
Monad Terrace will include four penthouse suites
10/20
Monad Terrace will include four penthouse suites
Monad Terrace will be topped by a rooftop garden area
11/20
Monad Terrace will be topped by a rooftop garden area
Monad Terrace will include lots of amenities such as a swimming pool
12/20
Monad Terrace will include lots of amenities such as a swimming pool
Monad Terrace is expected to be completed later this year
13/20
Monad Terrace is expected to be completed later this year
Monad Terrace is designed by influential French architect Jean Nouvel
14/20
Monad Terrace is designed by influential French architect Jean Nouvel
Monad Terrace consists of two buildings
15/20
Monad Terrace consists of two buildings 
Monad Terrace is located in Miami's South Beach Bay area
16/20
Monad Terrace is located in Miami's South Beach Bay area
Monad Terrace is expected to be completed later this year
17/20
Monad Terrace is expected to be completed later this year
The ground that Monad Terrace is situated upon is raised 11.5 ft (3.5 m) to mitigate the possibility of future sea level rising
18/20
The ground that Monad Terrace is situated upon is raised 11.5 ft (3.5 m) to mitigate the possibility of future sea level rising
Monad Terrace consists of two buildings, rising to 90 ft (27 m) and 150 ft (45 m)-tall
19/20
Monad Terrace consists of two buildings, rising to 90 ft (27 m) and 150 ft (45 m)-tall
Monad Terrace is located in Miami's South Beach Bay area
20/20
Monad Terrace is located in Miami's South Beach Bay area
View gallery - 20 images

High-profile French architect Jean Nouvel's upcoming luxury high-rise recently topped out in Miami. Named Monad Terrace, the project is expected to be completed in late 2019 and will offer plush apartments overlooking the famous Biscayne Bay starting at US$1.7 million.

Miami's vulnerability to rising sea levels doesn't seem to have dented the city's enthusiasm for major architectural works, which have included projects by BIG and Zaha Hadid in recent years. That said, the ground that Monad Terrace is situated upon in the South Beach Bay area is raised some 11.5 ft (3.5 m) above sea level to mitigate such concerns.

Monad Terrace's facade will feature a lot of greenery for shading and privacy
Monad Terrace's facade will feature a lot of greenery for shading and privacy 

The project also involves Kobi Karp Architecture and consists of two buildings, rising to 90 ft (27 m) and 150 ft (45 m)-tall. They are arranged around a large man-made lagoon and the north and south-facing facades will sport a lot of greenery, both to help shade the apartments within and to increase privacy. Additionally, the lagoon-facing sawtooth facades will integrate a honeycomb screen that's meant to diffuse incoming light and reduce heat gain, in addition to improving privacy, without unduly impacting the view.

"Transparency and translucency are achieved by a bespoke engineered screen system, built into Monad Terrace's faceted glass walls," explains developers JDS Development. "While the glass facing the bay is clear, the glass facing the lagoon features a distinctive aluminum hexagrid screen embedded within the glazing itself. Viewed from an oblique angle, the screen becomes opaque."

Monad Terrace is located in Miami's South Beach Bay area
Monad Terrace is located in Miami's South Beach Bay area

Monad Terrace will host 59 residences, ranging between two to five bedrooms, with 1,453 sq ft (134 sq m) to 5,350 sq ft (497 sq m) of floorspace. They will boast balconies, high-end materials and finishes, and custom kitchens designed by Jean Nouvel.

Four penthouse units will have their own private elevators and rooftop terrace. As you'd expect, there are a lot of amenities too, including a swimming pool, fitness center, and concierge.

Source: JDS Development

View gallery - 20 images
1 comment
1 comment
guzmanchinky
Beautiful building and location. The fact that the building is raised up to avoid rising sea levels is very interesting, but if sea levels do rise, it's the surrounding area and infrastructure, including water and power and sewage that will be affected and make low lying areas such as Miami unlivable in the future without drastic changes to the entire city. I would be very hesitant to buy anything this close and low to the ocean...