Towering Miami condo ‘18’ planned for Brickell, inspired by flower bed

Rendering of 18 in Brickell

 via Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates

A 76-story mixed-use development called 18 is planned at the Miami strip center in Brickell anchored by a Burger King, according to The Next Miami.

Set to be reviewed by Miami’s Urban Development Review Board next week, the project calls for four levels of retail at its base encompassing over 65,000 square feet, parking, and a residential component above, totaling 392 units.

The architect is NBWW (Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates) and the project was proposed by Karam Group in collaboration with Claro Development. Located at the corner of Southwest 10th Street and South Miami Avenue (next to Brickell City Centre), the development was inspired by a flower bed, per a release by NBWW’s Igor Reyes.

“We’re thrilled to be selected as the architect for 18,” Reyes said, “which is sure to be one of the most architecturally-compelling structures to rise in downtown Miami. For the design, we were inspired by the natural growth and development of a flower bed where every flower is competing for sunlight. The tower begins with a determined foot print and then spreads and completes its full geometry as it reaches the top, offering spectacular, unobstructed views while showing consideration to its surroundings.”

More about the design, via NBWW’s website:

The design reflects the natural growth and development of a flower bed, where all the flowers are competing to reach the sunlight as they grow upwards into the sky. As with the flowers that have thin stems and large flowers at the top to capture as much sunlight as possible, the tower begins with a determined foot print then it spreads and completes its full geometry as it reaches the top. As units get higher they get larger and grab better views. The balcony arrangement also amplifies the idea of expansion as they climb up the tower. The result is a tower that apparently grows and opens to the view in a very organic form. The tower sits on a podium that houses parking and four levels of retail. One of the more interesting components of the podium is a ramp that seems to slice the podium in half as it rises around the outer edge. Vertical fins that cast shadows the glass facade further accentuate the effect making it seem as if the podium is crumbling under the pressure of the tall tower.