In 2015 the founding stone of what would become one of Downtown Miami’s most distinctive structures was placed across from the Maurice A. Ferré Park, near the Pérez Art Museum. Zaha Hadid’s design, the One Thousand Museum, towers over the streets like a rocket about to fire into space. The futuristic design may seem to belong to a different reality; a distant time that is yet to come but it only proves how much the human intellect, creativity and imagination has advanced. Its position parallel to the art museum after which it is named, generates a statement about the interconnected structure of the city. Every building is somehow linked to each other through their relationship and function within the city; this is a fact that Zaha Hadid Architects makes self-evident in their innovative project that stands out among the countless of buildings for its unconventional exterior.
Splendor and dynamism overflow within the 62-story residential skyscraper which includes 84 residences and sophisticated amenities such as a multimedia theatre, a private rooftop helipad an aquatic center, an indoor pool and a private bank vault. This architectural feat was recently completed in July 2019, commemorating its designer, Zaha Hadid- the first woman to win a Pritzker Prize. Her legacy continues today through the ongoing work conducted by her firm which retains part of her curvilinear style in the landmark buildings it produces. The curves fuse every design with a naturalistic movement that breathes life into the urban landscape just as One Thousand Museum does by introducing an unexpected visual element to the modern city.
The tower has the same effect on people as a sculpture found in the Louvre, it draws the eye to its surface, inviting the beholder to admire its complexities from a closer angle. Like roots traveling towards the sun instead of downwards, structural supports cling to the curved body of the building. The white exoskeleton contrasts against the glass surface, giving it a distinct shape that most buildings reserve for their interior spaces. These frames replace some of the interior columns allowing for a greater layout of the rooms following precise square floor plans. At the very top of the tower, where residents can admire the hypnotizing cityscape visible from the club and event space, the journey of the winding outer supports comes to an end as they join together. These extensions create an interplay of light and shadow across the delicate landscaping designed by none other than the Swiss landscape architect, Enzo Enea. His works shape the Sun & Swim Terrace and the terraces that surround the Wellness & Spa area with exterior curved rooms where residents can relax and enjoy each other’s company.
Zaha Hadid’s vision come to life has even touched upon the smallest of details; taking into account elements that might usually go unnoticed but that are actually essential to every environment. Her careful and thorough consideration is evident, for example, in the use of specific signature scents developed by 12.29 olfactory consultants. Common spaces such as the interior amenity areas, the lobby, Aquatic Center and DRy Lounge are delicately lined by the faint ambient perfumes that can also be applied to individual residences upon request. The same dedication and eye for detail has been applied in the selection of functional and highly efficient storage facilities, accessories and custom designed closets by the contemporary design firm, Molteni & C Spa Additionally, the building’s privacy is guaranteed with a grand porte cochere that separates the One Thousand Museum from the busy streets. This feature also serves to create the effect of a stately welcome into the dramatic interiors of the tower which is further enhanced by the high-speed elevators within the lobby that are operated with destination-entry smart technology.
Meanwhile, the world inside is bedecked with high-quality materials, modern furnishings, sleek surfaces and minimal yet elegant decorations. Like its facade, the building’s interiors display a craftsmanship and originality in the twisting forms that comprise it. With rounded-edge panels hovering over the lobby reception desk, a spiral staircase descending into a welcome desk and an indoor pool framed by a waterfall with a feathered pattern, the overall composition turns into an artwork. The Italian claroscuro method of juxtaposing light and shadow to provide figures with more depth and expression is translated into interior décor with the use of a black and white color palette. Due to the extensive glass surface, light is constantly roaming free across most areas of the building; to compensate for this brightness common areas feature dark stone floors and wooden linings over the walls in addition to black and gray furniture.
Every residence has been meticulously crafted and adorned by international design houses such as B&B Italia, Roche Bobois and Artefacto. The open-concept layout is constructed with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and walls that lead to extensive private terraces with full views of Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. To compete with this outer appeal, interiors have channeled the interior glamour of state of the art features such as custom-designed illumination by the famous Ili Petzold, Creston home automatic equipment and kitchen designs by Gatto Cucine using Gaggenau and SubZero fixtures and appliances. These five star condos must be approached as museum exhibition rooms that display the prestigious works of interior architects and artists. The aesthetic is not shaped solely with furniture designs by the renown Italian firm Lualdi Porte, but it also derives from Petzold’s mastery over lighting effects that bestow a different atmosphere within each room. This combination of diffused and targeted lighting extending over the different furniture textures and shapes generates elegant and intimate spaces that resemble serene gallery rooms with the advantage that visitors can live within these unique art-scapes.
Zaha Hadid’s legacy exhibits the efficiency, artistry and ingenuity of contemporary design fused with innovative and state-of-the-art technologies. Her creation, the One Thousand Museum, is on the one hand an aesthetic work of art that celebrates the flexibility of nature, and on the other hand it is also an architectural feat that merges form with function, efficiency, dynamism and elegance. The modern interiors welcome residents into a calm and private environment with exclusive ocean views and top quality services and amenities. The ideal location of the tower grants people quick and easy access to some of Miami’s most prestigious attractions and entertainment opportunities such as the new Museum Park, the Adrienne Arscht Center for the Performing Arts, Port Miami and the Wynwood Art District among others. The cosmopolitan environment upon which Miami is founded represents the perfect setting for the development of surprising and exceptional works such as the One Thousand Museum.