Exclusive Look at Kengo Kuma’s First Residential Tower in the U.S.
For Kengo Kuma, the Art Deco style in Miami feels like jazz music in physical form. “So we composed our own piece to fit in with the history, but we used a modern approach,” the Japanese architect tells AD. Kuma, known for striking designs that merge architecture and nature, is talking about one of his latest projects, Aman Miami Beach Residences, which is also his first residential tower in the United States.
Plans for the latest beachfront offerings by Aman, an international hospitality company, are twofold: a new hotel within the Versailles building, which is being restored under the supervision of Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston, and the condo tower designed by Kuma and Associates.
Like jazz, Kuma’s tower embodies a certain swing. Among balanced elements like a stepped façade, light tonal palette, and symmetrical vertical louvers, off-kilter features emerge like blue notes played slightly off pitch. Take the structure’s organic shape, for example, or the three-story-high columns balancing the base of the condo. Reaching 18 stories above the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, the building radiates a light and breezy tone, easily falling in step with the coastal serenity and timbre of the crashing waves. “Waving white honey curves evoke the lyrical Art Deco notes of the companion Versailles building,” Kuma adds of the design.
The columns are easily one of the most captivating features of the building, creating a stilt-like impression not uncommon in beach-adjacent communities. While visually intriguing, this design choice wasn’t just for the aesthetics. “As is often the case in projects with great views on all sides, neighbors requested to preserve their views of the coast,” Kuma explains, adding that the lobby’s ceiling was also raised as part of the solution to appease the surrounding tenants. However, once inside the main atrium, residents are greeted by one of Kuma’s favorite parts of the design: a parametric “wave” made from custom wood latticework.
