History of Arquitectonica
Arquitectonica is a global firm specializing in interior design, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning with its headquarters located in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida. On top of that, the company maintains offices in ten additional global cities: New York, Los Angeles, West Palm Beach, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Manila, Lima and Sao Paulo. Peruvian architect Bernardo Fort-Brescia, Laurinda Hope Spear, Andrés Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and Hervin Romney founded Arquitectonica as an experimental studio in 1977.
Of them all, only Bernardo Fort-Brescia and Laurinda H. Spear continue to lead the firm today.
Since the beginning, Arquitectonica received instant attention from critics and the public for its bold modernism design that was reminiscent of a renaissance of the Miami urban landscape. It continues to push boundaries with its creative use of materials, geometry, color, and pattern to introduce the world to a new kind of humanistic modern design. With a variety of projects for hotels, residential towers, corporate headquarters, retail/entertainment centers, museums, theaters, arenas, convention centers, resorts, and new cities, the firm’s designs have defined modern Miami and helped to promote Miami architecture globally.
Nowadays, Arquitectonica‘s practice can be found all over the globe, across five continents in 59 countries, including but not limited to: China, Peru, Indonesia, South Korea, and the USA! The firm is famous for being one of the pioneers of globalization in the architecture profession. Arquitectonica has won hundreds of design awards, and its ground-breaking work has been featured in exhibitions at a variety of museums and institutions. Among the firm’s well-known projects are the Microsoft Europe Headquarters and the Accor World Headquarters in Paris.
Bernardo Fort Brescia, FAIA
Bernardo is a Peruvian architect born in Lima. He studied in Peru and Europe where he picked up multiple languages that later helped him in his international career. Afterwards, he attended Princeton University where he studied architecture and urban planning, then received his Master of Architecture Degree from Harvard University (where he later taught). In 1975 he moved to Florida to teach at the University of Florida. Besides being honored with the AIA Silver Medal and the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Lifetime Achievement Award, Bernardo is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. He is involved in the University of Miami School of Architecture Advisory Board and other community affairs.
Laurinda H. Spear, FAIA, PLA, LEED AP, IIDA
Laurinda has been involved with the firm since its inception, having contributed to the design of numerous projects. After completing her fine arts studies at Brown University, she went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Columbia University and a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from Florida International University. She has previously taught at Harvard University and the University of Miami. Ms. Spear has given lectures all over the world, her work has been shown in numerous esteemed museums, and she is passionate about teaching others about the importance of design excellence.
She played a key role in Arquitectonica’s growth into design disciplines outside of planning and architecture. Laurinda started ArquitectonicaInteriors, an interior design firm that was inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame. In addition, she founded Laurinda Spear Products, a design products group with over 150 products sold globally under several international brands. Laurinda founded the landscape architecture firm ArqGEO in 2005 with an emphasis on innovative landscape design, sustainability, and environmental land planning. Another 2 companies that are part of the Arquitectonica International Corporation are ArquitectonicaSTUDIO and H3.
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Company Culture at Arquitectonica
Arquitectonica specializes in environmentally conscious design that is also commercially successful. It is well-known for its capacity to produce distinctive forms of unforgettable imagery that are in perfect balance with their surroundings. 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 firm is staffed with experienced professionals with various degrees of design backgrounds that bring forth unique and creative solutions to each project.
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.
ArquitectonicaGEO works in close collaboration with clients, architects, planners, engineers, developers and construction professionals to create aesthetic and functional design solutions. The international, multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural richness of our firm provides the expertise to examine projects from all angles and the agility to respond to changing issues of global concern.
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!
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Eleonora Colacurcio
Eleonora is a young architect from Italy who has always aspired to work in a team of incredible professionals from whom she could have the opportunity to learn from and have as mentors. She finished her Master’s at the University of Naples «Federico II» and got her architecture license in 2020. Her experience ranges from multiple publications such as «State-of-the art on steel exoskeletons for seismic retrofitting of existing buildings« published in Ingegneria Sismica IJEE-n1, 2020 to being an advisor in the framework of the Action3 «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«. She is very detail oriented and highly organized, and she thrives in a fast-paced environment.
Ismael Medina Manzano
Ismael is a Spanish Architect, Designer and Researcher who 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 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 has accumulated a lot of experience working for renowned international firms such as TallerDE2Architects and OFFPOLINN/ANDRÉS JAQUE as Junior Architect.
At TallerDE2 Ismael was part of multiple projects like the building of 24 homes in Arturo Soria, Madrid (remodeling and change of use from student homes to luxury homes) and a municipal play center in Haro, La Rioja (building expansion and remodeling of existing building). In addition to that, at OFFPOLINN/ANDRÉS JAQUE he took part in projects such as the Reggio School in Encinar de los Reyes, Madrid. Which was included in the list of the most impressive buildings of 2022 in El País ICON Design.
Incredible works of Ismael Medina Manzano:
Pictures from Ismael’s Portfolio
Arquitectonica‘s Selected Projects
International Finance Center Seoul, Conrad Hotel + IFC Mall – Seoul, South Korea
This 6,431,000 square foot Class-A office project is made up of three office towers, each with 29, 32, and 53 stories. With heights ranging from 492 feet (150 meters) to 820 feet (250 meters). Additionally, there is a 600-room, 40-story, five-star Conrad Seoul Hotel. Which is 525 feet tall. An IFC Mall, a fine-dining plaza, new outdoor spaces for public use, and a multi-screen theater.
The project won Arquitectonica numerous awards like the AIA Hong Kong | Merit Award for Urban Design, the Society for American Registered Architects (SARA) | Design Award of Excellence, the Structural Engineers Assoc. (SEA) of NY Excellence in Engineering Awards | Finalist, the World Travel Awards | 2013 Asia’s Leading New Hotel, the World Travel Awards | 2013 South Korea’s Leading New Hotel, and the World Travel Awards | 2013 South Korea’s Leading New Hotel Suite.
Photos by Arquitectonica
Solaria and Aria – Milan, Italy
The project, which features two towers designed by Arquitectonica, offers Milan’s first taste of high-end residential high-rise living. With floor to ceiling glass, Solaria and Aria provide world-class views of the city center below and the Alps. The project is shaped like three rectangular solids coming together to form a triangular void. The complex’s central core provides ventilation and light. Every residential unit has views of the Alps and Milan’s Duomo from three of its sides.
Solaria has 34 residential floors and units ranging in size from 829 SF (77 SM) to 2,799 SF (260 SM). Aria is a residential building with two separate wings that rises to a height of 17 stories. The typical unit sizes range from 624 SF (58 SM) to 2,960 SF (275 SM). Two-story duplex apartments and three-story penthouse apartments with roof gardens and pools are located at the top of each tower. In addition, every tower has a private spa, pool, party area, and gym.
Solaria and Aria won the MIPIM | Best Urban Regeneration Project and the Society of American Registered Architects (SARA) | Design Award of Honor.
Photos by Arquitectonica
Mount Parker Residencies – Hong Kong, China
The project entails designing and building a cutting-edge, opulent residential complex on a 2,540 square meter plot at No. 1 Sai Wan Terrace, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, along with clubhouse and support amenities. Situated between Tai Koo and Sai Wan Ho MTR stations, close to City Plaza, the site has an uneven and hilly topography. With a modern, progressive external language that aligns with the client’s progressive marketing plan, an efficient and sustainable design is intended. With the club, building services, management offices, and covered parking at the base of the development, a multiple tower design may be taken into consideration. The entry lobby will be two stories high.
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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