History of Arquitectonica
Arquitectonica was founded in 1977 by Peruvian architect Bernardo Fort-Brescia, FAIA and American architect Laurinda H. Spear, FAIA, PLA, LEED AP, IIDA. Located in Miami, Florida’s Coconut Grove neighborhood, Arquitectonica is a global firm specializing in architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, and urban planning.
The firm was greeted with immediate recognition and appreciation from both the public and critics alike upon its founding because of its bold modernism, which was quickly associated with a renaissance in Miami’s urban landscape. It is introducing a new wave of humanistic modern design to the world by constantly pushing the boundaries of design through innovative use of color, geometry, pattern, and materials. Arquitectonica‘s practice now extends across the globe, with projects in 59 countries across five continents.
Arquitectonica has won hundreds of design awards, and its ground-breaking work has been featured in exhibitions at quite a few museums and institutions. The firm is famous for being one of the pioneers of globalization in the architecture profession with offices in Miami, New York and Los Angeles, and international offices in Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America.
The Arquitetonica International Corporation is made up of 5 companies: Arquitectonica (original), ArquitectonicaStudio, ArquitectonicaInteriors, ArquitectonicaGEO, and H3.
Bernardo Fort-Brescia, FAIA, Co-Founder of Arquitectonica
One of Arquitectonica’s founding principals and businessman, Bernardo Fort-Brescia, was born in Lima and received his early education in Peru and Europe, where he learned multiple languages that would later be useful in his international career. He obtained a Master of Architecture from Harvard University, where he later taught, after studying architecture and urban planning at Princeton University. In 1975, he relocated to Florida to teach at the University of Miami. Bernardo led the initiative to take Arquitectonica national and international.
Bernardo is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, as well as the recipient of the AIA Silver Medal and the ULI Lifetime Achievement Award. He is involved in the University of Miami School of Architecture Advisory Board and other community affairs.
Laurinda Hope Spear, FAIA, PLA, LEED AP, IIDA, Co-Founder of Arquitectonica
Ms. Spear studied fine arts at Brown University, then went on to earn a Master of Architecture from Columbia University and a Master of Landscape Architecture from Florida International University. She has previously taught at Harvard University and the University of Miami. She has given lectures all over the world and her work has been shown in numerous esteemed museums.
Laurinda has developed many of the firm’s signature projects, and her work has received over a hundred design awards. Numerous projects undertaken by Ms. Spear have been published in books, prestigious magazines, and scholarly journals. In addition, she played a key role in Arquitectonica’s growth into design disciplines outside of planning and architecture.
She first founded the interior design firm ArquitectonicaInteriors, which was inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame. Then, she founded Laurinda Spear Products, a design products group with over 150 products sold globally under several international brands. In addition, Laurinda founded the landscape architecture firm ArqGEO in 2005 with an emphasis on innovative landscape design, sustainability, and environmental land planning.
In addition to being a registered landscape architect, Laurinda holds memberships in the American Society of Landscape Architects, the American Institute of Architects, and is a LEED Accredited Professional. She is the winner of the Rome Prize in Architecture, the AIA Silver Medal, and the ULI Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Company Culture at Arquitectonica
Arquitectonica is renowned for its ability to produce distinctive forms of unforgettable imagery in close harmony with the environment. The firm focuses on ecologically conscious, yet commercially viable design. In order to create value, identity, and a sustainable environment, the firm investigates the complex challenges of today’s built and natural environments and develops solutions that strike a balance between a modern aesthetic and environmentally conscious practices.
Our approach is clear. To create innovative and bold solutions that respond to the existing conditions of each site and are adaptable to climate change and sea level rise, all while restoring biodiversity and improving the human experience. Mixing resiliency with beautiful functional landscapes has created a level of awareness in communities and the world at large where the understanding of nature being incorporated into the built environment is a priority.
At Arquitectonica, the founders believe strongly in educating others in excellency in design, and the importance of balance between the project and the environment. The foundation of Arquitectonica‘s design philosophy is the idea of maintaining a site’s geographic character, or the whole set of human and natural characteristics that set one place apart from another. This is achieved through an authentic design process that protects the surrounding natural and cultural environment.
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Architect-US is proud to work in close contact with Arquitectonica and to be able to ensure the firm gets to know and work with amazing young architects like Eleonora Colacurcio and Ismael Medina Manzano, whom we helped with their J1 Visa and to get a place with the Arquitectonica team through our amazing Job+J1 Visa Program !
Eleonora Colacurcio
Eleonora is a young Italian architect who always aspired to work in a team of incredible professionals who she could learn from and gain experience. She is a pragmatic individual who is inspired by art and design. Eleonora loves to combine creativity and structure to solve architectural challenges. She finished her Master’s Degree at the University of Naples «Federico II» and got her architecture license in 2020. She was an advisor in the framework of Action 3 «Methodologies for assessing the combined effect of upgrading» of the European Pilot Project «Integrated techniques for the seismic strengthening and energy efficiency of existing buildings». Eleonora also won the Researcher Grant for new methodologies investigation in the fields of seismic upgrading of existing reinforced concrete buildings.
Ismael Medina Manzano
Ismael is a Spanish Architect, Designer and Researcher who graduated in Civil Engineering from the Escuela Politécnica Superior de Burgos and has completed a Master in Building Information Modeling, Construction, Project & Facility Management (BIM) at the ETSAM. He got his architecture license from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid with Honors (2019) and is considered to be the second best graduate in Architecture 2020 at national level according to the Spanish Society of Academic Excellence, SEDEA. He has a multitude of publications including: «Caminando la Ciudad: Barcelona como experiencia Urbana» (2018), Univeritat de Barcelona; «Anuario ETSAM 2018/19» (2019), Fundación General UPM; «El Prototipo UD 24 Soriano» (2020), ETSAM-UPM; and «TC Cuadernos, Exorcity Oporto» (2021), UD Lapuerta.
Incredible works of Ismael Medina Manzano:
Pictures from Ismael’s Portfolio
Arquitectonica‘s Selected Projects
Regalia – Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, USA
Located in Sunny Isles Beach, Regalia is a 46-story luxury condominium development. 39 luxurious full-floor units with 360-degree views are available in the building. Like in traditional Florida homes, an undulating terrace encircles each floor with a shaded walk-around veranda that shields the glass from the sun. Glass balustrades create a sculpture that mimics the feel of ocean waves and breezes approaching the beach by forming horizontal bands that vary in width from floor to ceiling. The 5,515 square foot, four-bedroom, five-bathroom units have a 2,100 square foot wraparound terrace.
With five bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms, and 9,515 square feet of living space, the penthouse is a two-story, full-floor apartment with a 3,500 square foot terrace. The third and fourth floors are occupied by an oceanfront beach house with a 6,500 square foot terrace that includes a private plunge pool and Jacuzzi. The full floor, two-story unit with five bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms has 9,515 square feet of living space.
Arquitectonica won a multiple number of awards for the Regalia, such as: the Society of American Registered Architects (SARA) | Design Award of Merit, International Property Awards | Highly Commended Residential High-rise, International Property Awards | Best Residential High-Rise Development, and the Developers & Builders Alliance | “Project of the Year for High-Rise Development, Honorable Mention, 2007”.
Photos by Arquitectonica
Landmark East – Hong Kong, China
Landmark East is a twin tower development in Hong Kong’s Kwun Tong district. In order to maximize leasing flexibility, Arquitectonica used floor plates with varying sizes between the towers when designing this structure. Tower One has 36 leasable office floors spread across 43 stories. With an average floor plate of 13,455 SF (1,250 SM), there are 484,376 SF (45,000 SM) of total floor area available. Tower two has 34 leasable office floors spread across 40 stories.
The rectilinear slab towers, which are derived from the long, narrow site, are shaped into a dynamic composition of slender, interlocking planes that are slanted at different angles to evoke play and movement. The layout of the floor zones and cores maximizes views of the harbor. At the upper levels, corner units that maximize harbor exposure and valuable office space are provided by the intersecting volumes and broad south elevations.
The project won numerous awards, such as the AIA Florida | Merit Award of Excellence, the AIA Miami | Design Award of Merit, Built Category, the Society of American Registered Architects (SARA) | Design Award of Recognition, the Hong Kong Chapter of the American Institute of Architects | Merit Award of Architecture, the Hong Kong Productivity Council | Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence – Class of Excellence in Energywise, the Hong Kong Productivity Council | Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence – Class of Excellence in Wastewise, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) 2009 Best Tall Buildings Awards | Shortlisted Nominee for 2009 Awards, and the Perspective Magazine | Award Certificate of Excellence for Best Skyscraper in over 150m high category.
Photos by Arquitectonica
Adaro Energy Tower – Menara Karya – Jakarta, Indonesia
The 26-story commercial office building is situated in Jakarta’s esteemed business and embassy district. The project’s iconic design is a straightforward angular shape that fuses iconic imagery with floor plate efficiency. In order to achieve a striking form balance, the chiseled-diamond form uses a simple curtain wall with contrasting vertical and horizontal mullions. Meanwhile, the randomly balanced forms extend to the interiors, where natural stone is used in an elegant and roomy lobby.
The building’s purity is only violated once, near the top. The corporate board room of the anchor tenant is revealed when a section of the volume rotates, revealing a terrace with breathtaking city views. It is the instant of external connection. This pure prism exception transforms into a lantern at night, a torch that announces a location without lighting up the entire structure or creating an inoperable spire or crown. This is a long-term solution to corporate identity. From a commercial perspective, the structure resolves the identity dilemma without compromising effective space utilization. Because every floor plate is rectangular, space planning is made more efficient.
The building won the AIA Miami | Award of Excellence and the International Real Estate Federation FIABCI, Indonesia Chapter | Prix D’Excellence Award – Best Office Building in Indonesia.
Photos by Arquitectonica
We will be posting more projects by Arquitectonica in the upcoming weeks and months, so keep an eye out for more of their incredible work! Every Friday we will be posting a new Featured Company, so join us again next week!
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