Fentress Architects has released plans for the $500 million redesign of the Miami Beach Convention Center. The news follows the City of Miami’s controversial decision to nix plans provided by OMA, who was originally awarded the commission after a high profile competition against BIG.
Fentress will be working with Arquitectonica and West 8 on a significantly scaled-down masterplan that will include the renovation of the 500,000-square-foot exhibition hall and 200,000-square-feet of existing meeting space, as well as a new 80,000-square-foot ballroom and outdoor event space.
As Michael Winters, director of design and interiors for Fentress describes, the focus of the new plan is “to design a convention center that will give back to the urban and civic environment” and “create pride for the neighborhood.”
The city’s unanimous decision to move forward with Fentress was fueled by OMA’s estimated price tag, in which they opted out for a more budget-friendly design that could be completed “on time.”
