WEST GROVE VILLAGE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, 2023:
The project site lies at a critical urban convergence near US-1 and Douglas Road, where fast-moving traffic challenges pedestrian life, yet transit access via Metrorail and Metrobus presents a valuable opportunity. Our proposal responds with a targeted upzoning along Douglas Avenue—transitioning from T3 to T5 and T4—to support greater density and reduced parking, with building heights gradually stepping down to the east to respect the existing residential scale. Wide, shaded sidewalks and pedestrian-friendly design help buffer the street, and a rich network of public spaces, including “Gibson Green,” anchors the plan and fosters community identity in culturally significant West Coconut Grove. The site design incorporates smaller-scale retail and incubator spaces for local entrepreneurs, conceals parking through surface lots and a semi-submerged ramp, and introduces new alleyways to improve walkability and visual cohesion—all in an effort to honor the area’s architectural and cultural heritage while contributing to its future.
Project Collaborators: Steven Fett, Andrea Hernandez, Bernardo Rieveling, Bruna Bacchi, Development Team: Daniel Smidtz, Octavio Rinaldi, Tim Hernandez