Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meuron
Located in Downtown Miami, the Perez Art Museum is a truly innovative architectural masterpiece. Designed by Pritzker Prize winning Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron, it integrates Miami’s natural elements and has successfully created a fluid transition from the cityscape, through natural elements, into a museum filled with 20th century and contemporary art pieces. Some of the collections that were donated by Jorge Perez include works by Latin-American artists, such as Joaquin Torres-Garcia and Diego Rivera.
The three story, 200,000 square foot building is elevated above the flood plain and features an underground, open-air parking garage. A grand staircase that also serves as an auditorium leads patrons to the waterfront or onto one of many wraparound terraces with overhanging canopies. Visitors are surrounded by hanging vertical gardens fabricated from logs that also serve as watering sources. These gardens were designed by French botanist Patrick Blanc and provide ventilation and much-needed shade for Miami’s humid and hot climate. These structures are also built to withstand Miami’s hurricanes and floods. Adirondack chairs are placed on the terraces to allow patrons time to truly enjoy the integration of nature and architecture. Unlike many art museums, this building in particular features floor to ceiling windows offering beautiful natural light to illuminate the works of art. Herzog and de Meuron also designed the museum to be expandable and malleable without interrupting the fluidity of the museum. Additional walls and rooms can be added without interrupting the exhibits.
Jaques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron attended the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. They are most well-known for their innovative use of exterior materials and treatment such as silkscreened glass, which has been described as a refining of the traditions of modernism to elemental simplicity. Some of their other great works include Prada in Tokyo, the Barcelona Forum Building, and the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Olympic Games.
by Carina Sanders and Christian Klugmann