Miami’s office spaces are as fun and unique as the lively city. Though these environments are meant as a professional zone, its architects are at play: each design is an experiment in efficiency, aesthetics, and balance. While some companies require straightforward, straight-lined designs, others leave room for artistic interpretation. The architects listed below are skilled in providing both traditional and unconventional designs. Firms like Perkins & Will and SpinaOrourke err on the side of traditional Miami style; groups like Oppenheim Architecture and Wannemacher Jensen Architects tend to venture further outside the box. Our team took into consideration each firm’s affiliations, industry awards, years in business, and its projects in the city.
Arquitectonica
Address:
2900 Oak Ave Miami FL 33133
Bernardo Fort-Brescia, FAIA and Laurinda Spear, FAIA, PLA, LEED AP, IIDA, co-founded Arquitectonica in 1977. Headquartered in Miami, the firm has a global practice with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Peru, Brazil, Shanghai, and Paris. With projects in 59 countries across five continents, the firm has earned hundreds of design awards over the years and its projects have been featured in internationally acclaimed museums and institutions worldwide. Arquitectonica has helped shape Miami’s commercial and residential persona, designing the spacious, 9 million-square-foot mixed-use destination, Brickell City Centre, which sits in the heart of Brickell; the 20,000-seat AmericanAirlines Arena, the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center with its colorful facade of illuminated glass and the recently completed luxury oceanfront Ritz-Carlton Residences on Sunny Isles Beach.
The firm’s well-known corporate office projects include the Microsoft Europe Headquarters in Paris, Microsoft and Cyberport Technology Campus and AXA Insurance Asia Headquarters in Hong Kong, the International Finance Center in Seoul, Construction Bank and Agricultural Bank of China Headquarters in Shanghai, Banque de Luxembourg Headquarters and the Allen & Overy Tower in Luxembourg, Banco Santander Headquarters and BG Group Global Technology Centre in Brazil, Pathline Technology Campus in Silicon Valley; and The Center for Innovative Technology Headquarters, Washington DC, to name a select few.
Featured Projects
Microsoft Headquarters in Europe is a 495,150 SF office development on the banks of the Seine River. It houses the headquarters of Microsoft France and Microsoft Europe, plus the French branch of the European Development Center for Internet research. The project consists of three buildings of 161,500 SF each, which are connected by courtyards, retail, and three levels of parking. The three forward volumes reach out towards the river and appear as freestanding objects in the composition. Microsoft wanted a space that was emblematic of the progressive nature of the technology business, but also one that was highly flexible and functional. One of the main goals of the project was to design a state-of-the-art building that met the highest possible environmental standards. The building achieved the highest possible environmental rating in France, Haute Qualité Environnementale or HQE.
CallisonRTKL
Address:
396 Alhambra Cir South Tower Suite 500 Coral Gables FL 33134
CallisonRTKL, a global architecture, planning, and design practice, began over seven decades ago and has evolved into a cultural agency to advance positive outcomes in local and global communities. Through a human-centric design approach, the team addresses the imperatives of resiliency, wellbeing, and technology and their influence in the built environment. CallisonRTKL Vice President Dan Freed AIA, LEED AP BD+C, who leads the Miami office, is known for his contemporary design aesthetic, attention to detail, and collaborative approach to leadership and project management. The Miami office, based in Coral Gables since 2000, is focused on a wide range of services including the planning and design of complex large-scale hospitality, retail, entertainment, office, residential and mixed-use projects as well as the renovation and repositioning of important hospitality, office and residential properties locally and globally. The Miami office has played an integral role in the region, working extensively on The Plaza Coral Gables, Hilton Miami Dadeland, Loews Coral Gables, Brickell World Plaza, Boca Raton Innovation Campus, and Lake Nona Town Center. To see more of their work, you can visit their website at www.callisonrtkl.com
Featured Projects
The Plaza Coral Gables, at 6.7 acres, is the largest mixed-use development in the city. Partnering with developer Agave Ponce, CallisonRTKL was asked to create the master plan and architectural design for a new urban village that creates a sense of place and identity for both residents and the community. The project includes 153,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, 480,657 sq. ft. of rentable office space and 1,865 parking spaces. The three-city-block project includes two 13-story Class A office buildings, a Loews hotel with 242 keys, and two residential properties–a residential tower with 135 units and a three-story residential building with 41 street-facing units that connect to the surrounding neighborhood. Rooftop amenities include event spaces, a park, and a pool.
The project is in the Crafts section of historic Coral Gables, an area originally planned exclusively for artisans. The Art Center Building, built by George Merrick in 1925 to house the offices and studios of his architects and artists, is being renovated to anchor an expansive park which the project surrounds. CallisonRTKL designed the interior of The Plaza Coral Gables to be a subtle, contemporary homage to the Spanish guitar. Nylon strings, strong yet flexible, inspired an abstract sculpture that draws guests into the lobby and inlaid frets are recreated in transitioning portals. The project’s façade combines natural limestone with contemporary, custom metalwork. CallisonRTKL designed the symmetrical look of the North office building to reflect the formal geometry of the city park fronting the structure. The asymmetrical South office building balances the formality of its sibling to the north. Wide-open spaces and exterior-facing shopfronts connect to the neighborhood and the surrounding urban fabric. The Plaza Coral Gables is expected to be completed at the end of 2022 with the initial office and residential buildings opening in 2020.
FORMGROUP architecture + planning
Address:
4300 SW 73 Ave Suite #106 Miami FL 33155
FORMGROUP is a boutique firm based in Miami that has been designing and contributing to Miami’s rich architectural landscape since 2000. Founder and Principal Architect, Omar Morales, AIA is a Cuban-born Miami-native who has been leading the firm since day one. Morales is a University of Miami graduate who spent his formative years under the tutelage of Bruce Graham, FAIA, the architect of the Hancock and Sears Towers in Chicago. His exposure to the old school principles of design and construction influence his work today which makes him a leader in the local design community. Aside from architectural designs, the firm also offers construction management services. FORMGROUP’s style is simple and modern. In addition to commercial office buildings, the firm takes on projects like custom homes, restaurants, and high-rise condominiums.
Featured Projects
FORMGROUP calls the CIMA Corporate Headquarters building “its boldest design to date.” The 30,000-square-foot office building, complete with a three-level office structure, is the headquarters for the Miami-based communications company. The building stands at an intersection on Coral Way. The organic design was inspired by the surrounding environment of the building, which features a boulevard lined with Banyan trees. Columns are arranged randomly to support a concrete overhang, which echoes the root system of the Banyan trees using elements of modern design
HOK
Address:
201 N Franklin St. Suite #1800, Tampa, FL 33602
HOK is an internationally-recognized architecture, design, engineering, and planning firm. It has over 20 offices located in the US, Europe, and Asia. HOK’s designs are often characterized by spaces that respond to the current needs of people and their surroundings. Chairman Bill Hellmuth, FAIA, LEED AP is joined by a team of well-versed architects and engineers who continuously create innovative structures. The firm’s impressive list of works does not go unnoticed. HOK’s recent recognitions include the AISC Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture Award, ARCHMARATHON Awards, IIDA Mid-Atlantic Pinnacle Award, and the Los Angeles Business Journal CRE Gold Award.
Featured Project
One of the firm’s largest projects is an office building for a confidential client with a total of 250,000 square feet of office space. The company commissioned the firm to design a three-story office structure that will support its employee’s productivity. Its interior design gives a central, park-like gathering space with an abundance of natural light. Warm wood detailing, baffled ceilings, and wrapped walls accent the building’s lobby, pantry, cafeteria, and other common areas. To further promote recreation, game areas are included with ping pong and pool tables, coffee and juice bars, a full-service cafeteria, and a fitness center.
Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design
Address:
2915 Biscayne Blvd. Suite #200, Miami, FL, 33137-4197
Kobi Karp, R.A., AIA, NCARB founded Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design in 1996. Karp studied architecture and environmental design at the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Technology. Karp’s long list of accomplishments includes the Outstanding Young Architect of the Year award, the Hospitality Industry Network’s Excellence in Design award for his work on the Hilton Q-Club, and the Miami Design Preservation League Merit Award for his work on the Cadillac Hotel. Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design is the firm behind not only commercial buildings, but large-scale hospitality and condominium projects in the city. The firm’s excellence in design rarely goes unnoticed, proven by its numerous awards from the AIA and appearances on The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Miami Herald, Ocean Drive Magazine, and more.
Featured Projects
In 2012, Curbed Miami reported that Kobi Karp-designed 1101 Brickell would be Miami’s tallest building until 2018. At 80 stories and 849 feet high, this mixed-use highrise comprises residential units, offices, restaurants, and retail in the heart of international Brickell, sometimes referred to as “Downtown’s ambitious sibling” and “the Wall Street of the South”. Each unit comes with scenic views of the city and the bay, and office spaces include a TB Bank Cube and a U.S. Post Office. The neighborhood’s first and only smart building, Brickell was designed with cutting-edge telecommunications services.
Mateu Architecture
Address:
8887 SW 131st St Miami FL 33176
Designing sustainable structures has been Mateu Architecture’s focus over the past four decades. Founder Roney Mateu, FAIA began his first architectural project after graduating in 1976. Mateu Architecture has won more than 70 AIA Design Awards for its design projects across a wide range of sectors including civic, commercial, multifamily, and residential. The firm has received such honors as the AIA Firm of the Year Award, the Hispanic American Business Association’s Architectural Firm of the Year Award, and the “Architecture Firm of the Year” Award from the AIA Miami Chapter. Mateu shares this success with his team of skilled architects making Mateu Architects a leading choice in local architecture.
Featured Projects
Mateu Architecture designed a four-story mixed-use building in South Dixie Highway’s stagnant corridor in 2013. The project includes 6,000 square feet of live/work units, professional offices, as well as parking. The project is set to infuse new life and visual excitement in the city of South Miami. Mateu Architecture is also responsible for the design of the ongoing 4311 Ponce mixed-use building comprised of office, residential, and retail spaces.
Oppenheim Architecture
Address:
245 NE 37th St Miami FL 33137
Oppenheim Architecture’s list of projects and awards is as long as its years in business. Chad Oppenheim founded the firm in 1999 and has garnered more than 45 AIA Awards, contributing to more than 80 firm distinctions overall. Among its recent awards are the 2020 AIT Award, IFI GAP Design Distinction Award, and the Swiss Prize for Sustainable Architecture. Headquartered in Miami, with offices in New York and Switzerland, the firm has graced more than 12 countries with its forward-thinking designs. Its office buildings look like much more than office buildings. They’re pieces of art. The New York Times has called Oppenheim “a minimalist on a beach of excess.”
Featured Projects
Oppenheim designed GLF Headquarters, a 20,000-square-foot commercial office complex in Miami. The Italian company wanted a headquarters that would stand out against its surrounding buildings. The complex consists of office and studio spaces, conference rooms, lounges, balconies, and common areas. It features a bold contemporary design built of exposed concrete, raw steel, and glass, and stands four stories tall. Principal in charge, Chad Oppenheim, meticulously picked the project’s materials to create a timeless masterpiece.
Perkins+Will
Address:
806 Douglas Rd. Suite #300, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Perkins & Will is an interdisciplinary firm that leverages research from its proprietary laboratories to design progressive and efficient plans, earning hundreds of design awards internationally. Founded in 1935, Perkins & Will began as a small Chicago office run by partners Lawrence B. Perkins and Philip Will, Jr. Serving as the gateway to the Americas, the Miami office alone has developed over $800M-worth of high-profile projects and works with heavyweight corporate clients such as American Express, L’Oreal, and American Airlines. The firm’s remarkable projects have won numerous awards from respectable industry associations including the AIA, ASID, IIDA, and more. In addition, the firm has been featured on The Architects Newspaper, Interior Design Magazine, Contract Magazine, and Architectural Record.
Featured Projects
In September 2012, Perkins & Will completed the Miami-Dade College Academic Support Center. With a price tag of $24M, the building houses admission offices on the first floor as well as all of the school’s Student Services departments, serving a combined 120,000 students per year. The 135,000-square-foot structure is centered around the main atrium, which functions as the student lounge, and features two outdoor learning spaces in keeping with one of the college’s 10 Learning Outcomes—to recognize the impact that humans have on their environment. The building also houses a Resource and Testing Center and twenty-one 930-square-foot classrooms. The exposed-concrete, light-filled design was featured in ArchDaily, World Architecture News, and Architizer.
RSP Architects
Address:
3059 Grand Ave. Suite #440, Miami, FL 33133
RSP Architects has been a leader in the design and planning of some of Miami’s most impressive structures since 1978. The firm creates design solutions that help answer today’s common structural problems. Its long list of clientele ranges from start-up companies to Fortune 100 companies. RSP Architects’ headquarters is located in Minnesota with offices in Florida, Texas, Maryland, Arizona, and India. The firm is headed by a group of architects who bring a wealth of experience in designing a structure to match the ever-changing demands of the industry.
Featured Project
RSP Architects’s portfolio is filled with diverse projects from the commercial, corporate, healthcare, government, education, mixed-use, retail, entertainment, casinos, and cultural sectors. Although not located in Florida, the 15 Building is a strong representation of RSP’s quality of design. The building which was originally built in 1929, consists of 12-story brick, granite, and limestone materials connecting the central business district to the warehouse. The 15 Building project is a 2019 finalist for the MREJ Awards for Corporate Multi-Tenant category.
SpinaOrourke + Partners
Address:
207 6th St., West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Spina O’Rourke + Partners, formerly known as Glidden Spina, was founded in West Palm Beach in the late 1970s. Since its inception, the firm was able to design and touch upon some of Miami’s most notable structures. Spina O’Rourke’s team of nearly 30 skilled craftspeople provide clients with architectural and interior design services. With a laid back culture featuring company bicycles, the SpinaOrourke office itself was named one of the “Coolest Offices” by South Florida Business Journal in 2014. In addition to its numerous press recognitions, the firm is also an active member of the US Green Building Council, AIA, and the International Interior Design Association.
Featured Projects
The District Workspace is a co-working office in West Palm Beach designed to encourage collaboration and the continuous flow of ideas. SpinaOrourke utilized an industrial rustic design with exposed beams, rough finishes, and accented by neutral tones and upholstered furniture. Inside, polished concrete floors lead visitors to a wide office space with clean walls and clean lines. Additional rooms separated by glass doors and windows allow for a more private meeting or discussion. For SpinaOrourke, classic is underrated. SpinaOrourke is also responsible for the Garden of Life Headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens. The 25,600-square-foot building consists of workspaces, a gym, a common area, and meditation rooms. This particular project earned the firm the 2015 US Green Building Council South Florida GALA Verde LEEDership Award.
Wannemacher Jensen Architects
Address:
180 Mirror Lake Dr. N St Petersburg FL 33701
Engaging designs fit for today’s evolving need for functional yet playful working, living, learning, and playing spaces encapsulate Wannemacher Jensen Architects’ works. Wannemacher Jensen, headquartered in St. Petersburg, has been around for over two decades led by Lisa Wannebacher, AIA, who founded the firm in 1992, and Jason Jensen, AIA, LEED AP, who joined in 2002. The firm has worked on hundreds of diverse projects in Florida ranging in size and sectors. Wannemacher’s specialties include planning, interior design, design-build, and entertainment. WJA has developed structures integral to the fabric of South Florida including banks, fire stations, entertainment piers, schools, colleges, and community centers. Its team and works have been featured on Florida Business Observer’s 40 Under 40 as well as Tampa Bay Illustrated’s 20 Under 40.
Featured Projects
WJA’S design for the C1 Bank building made the South Florida Business Journal’s list of “South Florida’s Coolest Offices” in 2015. “With Andy Warhol paintings, no traditional teller line, and meeting pods, one might mistake this for an art gallery,” the Journal writes. The office is the flagship branch of the Community Bank and is decked out with programmable LED lights in bold colors. The circular desk in the lobby is there only during the day; at night, it’s folded away so that the bank can host events in the space. At closing time, passersby will know the bank is no longer open because of a green laser leading a light show. Wannemacher Jensen also designed the Tech Data Office Building, a 45,000-square-foot structure in Largo, FL. The building is quite the opposite of C1. The walls are white, and the lines are straight and clean. Courtyards invite natural light into the interior space, and the firm installed an enormous stair in the lobby to promote active movement.
Zyscovich Architects
Address:
100 N Biscayne Blvd 27th Floor Miami FL 33132
Zyscovich Architects was founded in 1977 by Bernard Zyscovich, FAIA, and has always provided high-value service with social betterment at its core. Since its founding, it has developed a uniquely diverse portfolio in terms of use and budget. With offices, in New York, Florida, and Colombia, the firm is able to reach a bigger clientele in the cultural, retail, residential, transportation, federal, educational, commercial, international, and hospitality sectors. The firm has even designed master plans for cities, including planning for Midtown Miami, Miami Beach’s Convention Center Redevelopment district, and DUMBO Heights in Brooklyn, New York. Zyscovich Architects’ impressive list of works has won over a hundred awards in the last few years. This proves the firm’s dedication to quality design as well as its versatility in working with different requirements. The firm has also collaborated on academic work with renowned architect Frank Gehry.
Featured Projects
Zyscovich designed the University of Miami’s “Right Space 2 Meet Accelerator.” The 10,000-square-foot construction, which hosts both startup and top 500 companies, facilitates meetings. The space features semi-private and open work surfaces, phone booths as well as space for meetings or collaborations. The firm also designed the building that houses Urban Resource Group, the landscape design division of Kimley Horn and Associates. The 7,000-square-foot Miami Beach offices were designed in 2004. Featuring exposed ceilings, wood and bamboo details, and an open-office layout, the zen office space is simultaneously earthy and modern.
