Miami Beach Convention Center
Project Details
Facade System: Decorative Aluminum Fins & Overhead Glazing
Product: Specialty
Scope: Facade & Canopy Design, Engineering, Manufacturing & Material Supply
Completion: 2019
Project Credits
Owner: City of Miami Beach
Architect: Fentress Architects (Lead), Arquitectonica (Associate)
Glazing Contractor: Harmon Construction
General Contractor: Clark Construction Group
Photo Credit: Antonio Chagin
A collaboration between architecture firms Fentress Architects and Arquitectonica, the exterior envelope of the Miami Beach Convention Center serves as a ode to the surrounding elements of nature- the ocean, beach and underwater life, and is one of the most technologically-advanced centers in the United States. Sentech partnered with both firms to design, engineer and manufacture both the glass canopy centerpiece and the decorative aluminum fin façade on the exterior envelope. Utilizing Sentech’s parametric modeling technology and incorporating both our Decorative Fin and Overhead Systems, the façade was built using more than 500 unique angled aluminum fin shapes that span the exterior of the building, creating sweeping, wave-like undulation throughout the entire façade.
The façade consists of more than 500 angled “fins” constructed out of aluminum plates. Each fin is braced back structure-side and stainless steel struts tie them together to combat lateral loads from hurricanes as well as to account for acoustical vibrations.
– The Architects Newspaper
Connected to the façade curtain wall, the fins elegantly morph into undulating glass canopies at the building entrances, reflecting curvilinear shapes that draw from the inspiration of ocean waves. The façade’s design provides the impression of dynamic movement along the building, while providing functional efficiency by ensuring the orientation of each fin maximizes the shading provided by the façade. To accommodate the high wind loads that are unique to the Florida coastline, the façade was designed and built with hurricane-resistant connections and projectile-resistant glazing.
The elegant, curved canopy was created using laminated canopy glass that was manufactured in flat patterns, and later cold-formed at the job-site to generate the curved canopy shapes. This cold-forming of the glass is a rare technique used sparingly to bend glass plates into anti-clastic shapes to create the curvilinear forms demonstrated by this masterpiece- a symbol of resilience and sustainability.
