Members of Miami’s Master Brokers Forum (MBF) recently enjoyed a lively and engaging discussion about the city’s world-class architecture at the Conrad Miami, located at 1395 Brickell Avenue. The MBF (an elite network of Miami’s top-producing real estate professionals) was hosted at this event by Espirito Santo Bank.
Upon arriving at this event, Master Brokers enjoyed a cocktail reception featuring refreshments, hors d’oeuvres, and entertainment from a string quartet composed of Fellows from the New World Symphony. Following this reception, members were escorted to a dining room and welcomed by G.Frederick Reinhardt, Espirito Santo’s chairman and CEO. MBF chair Jeff Morr (who co-chaired the event with Donna Bloom) then emceed a panel discussion featuring world-renowned architectsBernardo Fort-Brescia of Miami’s Arquitectonica and Brandon Haw of London-based Foster & Partners (noted locally for his design of Miami Beach’s Faena House.)
Over the next hour, the two covered a wide range of topics concerning Miami’s enduring evolution and maturity; its reputation as a “hot spot” for cutting-edge architecture; the challenges posed by traffic, underused public transportation, and outdated zoning laws; and what the future holds for the city. Mr. Haw cited Miami’s expanding dimensions and “layers” (business, arts and culture, professional sports, institutions of learning, etc.) as evidence of the city becoming a first-rate metropolis, while Mr. Fort-Brescia mentioned Miami’s unique geography and its position as a global entry point to the Americas. The two panelists also highlighted the emergence of higher-quality architecture and amenities in new Miami projects, and buyers’ eagerness to spend more for them.
“Bernardo is, without question, the dean of Miami architecture, and his remarkable work has helped showcase our city around the world. This, in turn, has brought high-caliber designers such as Brandon Haw, Zaha Hadid, Bjarke Ingels, Enrique Norten, and others to our shores, creating a dynamic palette of projects that will define our city for the next generation and beyond,” said Mr. Morr. “Our thanks to them for their brilliant insight, and to Espirito Santo Bank for their generous hospitality and support of Miami’s real estate community.”
