OMA wins two design competitions in US

Netherlands-based architecture firm OMA has won two design competitions for city centre developments in Santa Monica and Miami Beach in the US.

Both designs were developed by the architecture firm’s New York office and the competitions were organised by the City of Miami Beach and Santa Monica’s City Staff.

South Beach ACE, comprising OMA, Tishman Realty and UIA Management, have won the Miami Beach Convention Center redevelopment competition.

The architecture firm’s design will redevelop Miami’s convention centre into a new facility, with space for a public programme and reintegrating the site into the urban fabric of Miami Beach.

OMA partners-in-charge Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas said that the design will reintegrate Miami’s vital convention centre with the area’s existing neighbours and new connections.

OMA has also won a competition in Santa Monica for a multipurpose development, which will feature retail, residences, offices and a hotel.

Shigematsu said that the company’s aim was to contribute to Santa Monica’s network of public spaces, from the recreational centres at the Pier and Palisades Park to commercial centres such as Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place.

"Our design provides residents, tourists and entrepreneurs a dynamic new public realm, a stepped building that complements the ground-floor plaza with a series of elevated public terraces," Shigematsu said.

"The four elevated terraces combined provide the city with 55,000ft2 of additional public space over the original site."

Santa Monica’s City Council will review the city staff recommendation on 27 August 2013 before the project starts in 2014.

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Image: Both designs were led by OMA’s New York office. Photo: courtesy of OMA.