Thanks to firm Oppenheim Architecture + Design, Miami Dade College is getting an eye-popping new campus center poised for LEED certification. To be located on Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami, the building is an extruded quadrangle shape that, along with a striking glass and steel exoskeleton, maximizes natural ventilation and public spaces for the students to enjoy. In terms of clean energy generation, the center will have its own wind turbines and solar hot water collectors right on its roof!
Two towers form the top of the structure, allowing for tons of exterior public spaces at both ground and sky level. The center will be approximately 250,000 square feet with a two-level commercial space wrapping the entire base of the building and an open-air campus arts quad on the third level. There will also be a sloping auditorium inside to be used as a venue for various cultural events. In addition to the main public spaces, the towers will also have offices, meeting facilities, an athletic center, a residential area with small studios, one-bedroom rental units and a full service hotel.
In terms of sustainability, the center’s impactful glass facade and steel exoskeletal system allow for lots of natural daylighting, increasing energy efficiency. The building will also have its own wind turbine farm and solar hot water collectors located on the roof to generate power for the center.
+ Oppenheim Architecture + Design
Via Designboom
[...] facade consists of two layers. The outer one is a glazed skin made up of framed glass set in a tubular frame while the inner layer is the building’s windows. There are two major benefits to the design: [...]