Miami's position as a design destination in the U.S. — nay, the world — certainly needs no introduction, but Dade County's newest addition really knocks our architectural offerings out of the park. Arch Daily reports that the seriously lauded Grimshaw Architects have officially broken ground on the Phillip Frost Museum of Sience in Museum Park, just overlooking Biscayne Bay. Grimshaw (who won the prestigious AIA commendation last year for their museum in Monterrey, Mexico) has a serious vision for this soon-to-be landmark: Not only will the digs be massive (at 250,000 square feet) and, with a bright and rounded façade, a truly beautiful building, but the museum boasts some serious ecological chops with solar and wind power.
Oh, and the inside sounds pretty excellent too, with a 600,000 gallon aquarium, a 3-D dome planetarium, and two additional wings of exhibition space to invite innovators to showcase their research. With a focus on the environment, the space aims to be one of the most forward-thinking museums in the world. Sadly, the only bad news so far is that we have to wait 'til 2015 for the doors to open, but at least the project is finally underway. (Arch Daily)
Photos: Courtesy of Grimshaw Architects