Publisher: Walther König, ISBN: 9783753301105, Editor: Charlotte von Moos, Format: Hardcover, 270 x 210 mm, 184pp
This publication celebrates a lost vision of Miami: the architectural golden age it enjoyed in the 1980s, when the subtropical city experienced a profound synergy between art and architecture. Unfortunately, the era’s ethos of artistic inquiry has lapsed into a crude commercialism. Dismayed at the negligence shown toward remarkable projects, von Moos assembled this authoritative guide, compiling a group of essays and a photo series that delineate the treasures of Miami’s 1980s architecture. In these years, Miami’s architects partook of the discipline’s international discourse, pushing back against the utilitarian International Style with a playful yet innovative sensibility. Firms like Arquitectonica, an experimental studio founded in 1977, introduced thoroughly modern buildings typified by abstract designs in bold colours and graphics. The 2018 case of the Babylon, a building developed by Arquitectonica that was demolished only two years after its designation as a protected landmark, served as the impetus for Miami-based architectural historian and architect Charlotte von Moos’ research.