Avis Magica – The Magic Bird, Miami Iconic Building Design Contest, American Architecture

Avis Magica – The Magic Bird

Miami Design Contest Entry, Florida, USA – design by ARMARADA

Aug 7, 2013

Miami Design Contest Entry

Design: ARMARADA

Location: Miami, Florida, USA

Avis Magica – The Magic Bird

“People are birds not seen, with wings raised within, knocking , floating, hovering, in cleaner air – which is the thought” – Nichita Stanescu, romanian writer

The contest – The theme was based on the iconic landmarks of various cities: Paris – Eiffel Tower, Sydney – Sydney Opera House etc. Competitors had to design a specific iconic building for the city of Miami.

images from architect

Why Avis Magica?

Avis Magica in Latin means “the magic bird”. The term “magic” comes from the city of Miami which is known as “the magic city”. Considering that the population grew from 1,000 to one million residents in just 100 years, we can say that the city “took off” like a bird. The resulting concept of “magic bird”.Analyzing the work of Constantin Brancusi ‘Bird in Space’ we observed how he stylized the bird, making a simple but elegant form. Armarada did the same thing while integrating the human image thus resulting the final form of the building.

How does the building work?

“Avis Magica” was built as the tallest building in the area 335 meters ( 1099ft ) and proposes a new concept: “vertical nature”. It incorporates: a museum at the below ground level, dedicated to the city’s wildlife, an outdoor concert stage, a 120m tall aquarium water which is pumped and filtered directly from the ocean, an area of islands with tropical vegetation located above the aquarium, an area that generates artificial rain clouds at a time, the observation deck and the “wings” of the building – made up of a multitude of “feathers” that vibrate at wind action, producing electricity.

The feathers are made of semi-translucent material that allows sunlight to enter the building, necessary for photosynthesis process. They are mounted on a tension cable receiving vibrations, turning them into electricity.

The tower is like an oxygen tank for the city, the oxygen created by plants is removed through the gap between the feathers.
To see the entire spectacle of the three zones, the tower incorporates two lifts. Thus visitors pass through aquarium and admire the marine life, then the vegetation area populated with birds, and finally reach the artificial clouds.
Above the 3 areas is the observation deck.

Avis Magica – The Magic Bird images / information from ARMARADA

Location: Miami, Florida, USA