Branded design: Q&A with the architects behind Miami’s Aston Martin Residences
By LISA KLEIN
Branded residences are booming worldwide, with top luxury brands such as Fendi, Missoni and Aston Martin infusing their signature styles into an entire building.
Developers and architects work closely with each company to create homes like no other, with every detail adhering to the quality and feel of the brand.
Below, Rodolfo Miani, partner of the Argentina-based BMA Architects & Associates, discusses the design process behind the Aston Martin Residences in Miami, which will be ready for occupation in 2022. Cervera Real Estate, Miami, head sales for the building’s units.
How did you get involved in designing the Aston Martin Residences?
Our architecture practice has a long history of collaboration with the Coto family, the founders of G&G Business Developments, on their businesses in Argentina. When G&G decided to build a new luxury residential tower in Miami, they asked us to be part of the team and design the exterior of the building.
How was working on a branded property different than other buildings you have designed?
I immersed myself in the soul of the brand to really capture the spirit of Aston Martin. Then when I started working on the designs, I had the history and heritage of the brand and its connection to art at the forefront of my mind.
What was it like working with Aston Martin on the design?
It was a very open and enriching collaboration.
Aston Martin has some of the best designers in the world. Although we come from different creative worlds, we shared the common goal to design an elegant tower that would perfectly represent Aston Martin and the aspirations of G&G and create a new landmark for Miami. It was a seamless process. We found it very easy for our teams to exchange skills and knowledge.
What did you think about when translating a car brand into a building?
We didn’t translate a car brand. Together with the team at Aston Martin, we infused the brand’s iconic and distinctive design language throughout the tower. But that was just part of the story.
As well as representing Aston Martin, the building had to reflect its unique waterside location in Miami. The Aston Martin Residences speaks the language of the ocean. It is inspired by the rush of the breeze and the sail of a boat.
What elements of the Aston Martin brand can be seen in the final design?
The essence of Aston Martin is all around. It’s in every detail you see and touch. It’s the authenticity and quality of the materials selected, and it’s the light and the space throughout the development.
What were some of the challenges in working on this property?
The Aston Martin Residences is on the last parcel of waterside land in Miami, which is one of the factors that makes it so desirable. But it made access and the logistics of building without disrupting our neighbors challenging as the area is already well developed.
What were some of the most exciting parts of designing the building?
Collaborating with the team at Aston Martin to translate the iconic brand into a luxury real estate development is a world first, so that was exciting. And for me, working with likeminded people, learning from each other, and collaborating to create something so perfect was a real highlight.
What is your favorite feature of the finished product?
I can’t choose just one feature. It’s the atmosphere, the feeling you get when you step inside, and the design is completely harmonious. You instantly relax.
I love everything about this development, from how it looks from the outside to the small design details throughout the interior.
Do you have plans for any more branded buildings in the future?
That depends on Germán Coto and the G&G team. If Germán has a new project in mind, I’d be honored to work on it because G&G are visionary and always looking to push boundaries and create something new and unexpected.
For more on branded residences, please read the article “Branded living” in the latest issue of Luxury Portfolio magazine.