For an architect who occupies a Z-dimension all her own, Zaha Hadid, Hon. FAIA, has seldom constructed high along that Z axis. She has built many multi-level and midrise institutional buildings, but very few towers. That is about to change with the on One Thousand Museum, a 62-storey, 83-unit, super-luxury condominium tower on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, opposite Museum Park, with views across Biscayne Bay to Miami Beach.

The project is no less Zaha at this unprecedented scale. A concrete exoskeleton structures the perimeter of the tower in a web of flowing lines that integrates lateral bracing within the lines of structural support. Columnar lines near the base splay out to meet at the corners, forming a rigid tube highly resistant to Miami’s demanding wind loads.

With structure at the perimeter, the interior floor plates are almost column free, allowing maximum variation in floor plans. The bottom two-thirds of the tower has two units per floor, while the upper third boasts units that occupy the entire floor. The moving, curving lines of the exoskeleton mean that each succeeding floor plan is slightly different from the last. On the lower floors, terraces occupy the corners; on the upper floors, the terraces are tucked in from the edges.

A duplex penthouse occupies the last two residential floors. The final floor features an aquatic center, leisure area, and event space. There is commercial space at the base, along with several stories of parking. At grade, the tower is ringed by pools and gardens. Zaha Hadid Architects project director Chris Lepine says that the structure—which appears as if it were eroded from a solid— reads from top to bottom as one continuous liquid frame.

The tower represents a line of research in high-rise construction that explores a fluid architectural expression consistent with engineering for the entire height of the structure. The emphasis is on expressing the dynamism of the structure in an integrated whole that avoids the frequent typology of a tower resting on a base.

Lepine points out that while the architects have worked to express the structure and its beauty within a tall, slender tower, the structure itself is “purposeful” in that it is rigid, stiff, and hurricane resistant. It's not a diagrid structure—but its curving lines allow a diagonal bracketing action. “We had this idea of a fluidity that is both structural and architectural,” Lepine says.

Instead of simply cladding a steel frame, the architects are using an expressive concrete form-work, which remains in place as construction progresses up the tower. This permanent concrete formwork provides the architectural finish. Behind the exoskeleton, the architects have created a folded, faceted, crystallike façade to contrast with the solidity of the exoskeleton. The dependable Miami sun will create plays of light on the glass within the structural frame.

“What you see is literally structure getting thicker and thinner, as needed," Lepine says. "There’s a continuity between the disciplines, between the architecture and engineering, to create that impression.”

Developers Gregg Covin and Louis Birdman of One Thousand Museum Limited commissioned Hadid to do the design, in association with the local architect of record, O’Donnell Dannwolf Partners Architects. There will soon be a notable Hadid structure in Miami.

G.T.DESIGN partners with Zaha Hadid’s One Thousand Museum Miami high rise

The Italian contemporary rug brand curated the flooring designs of the luxury condominium’s common areas and model apartments.

G.T.DESIGN was the exclusive partner of One Thousand Museum Miami, Zaha Hadid’s latest residential development, providing flooring designs and bespoke rugs in all common areas and the two show apartments of the project.

G.T.DESIGN’s Fluid collection was used in several common areas in the ground floor and the sky lounge. The rugs, entirely built-in the flooring, are custom-made to reflect Zaha Hadid’s organic and futuristic interiors and furniture. A wave pattern is featured in the lobby and office rugs, while a geometrical theme is carried on the Sky Lounge areas, including the dining room and theatre spaces, mirroring the stunning exteriors of Hadid’s building. The black and grey tones of the rugs complement the ultramodern interiors, and are the perfect backdrop for Hadid’s white sculptural furniture in the lobby and the Sky Lounge’s breathtaking views. All Fluid rugs are hand made in pure wool with a 20% nylon component, and have a 6-10cm thickness, a US requirement for public areas.

G.T.Design also created the textile elements of the two model apartments using a curated selection of the brand’s signature rugs. The custom made designs include bestseller Kama, a viscose rug that capture the light and lets it reflect through its weave; In-Canto, a thin and minimalist rug in a high quality bamboo viscose; Stairs Lino, with a natural shine of linen fibers that create elegant nuances of color; Boom, a light bamboo rug;  the incomparably soft In-Touch rug, made in Tencel, one of the most eco-compatible fibers on the market; and Passo Doppio, a long handmade rug in a high performance technical yarn. The custom color palette ranges from silver, sand, power pink, to natural hues to accentuate the taupe and green tones of the furniture.

“I have always imagined the rug as a primary element of living”, said Deanna Comellini, G.T.DESIGN Founder and Creative Director. “A big part of my design research has been inspired by this concept. In One Thousand Museum, the rug becomes am important, almost structural, element of the project, along with the flooring and the fixtures. While working closely in this project, I was delighted to have had the opportunity to learn about the philosophy of one of the most interesting figures in architecture of the past 30 years. I like to think that the idea of this ‘textile project’ stems out from a common sensibility, perhaps predominately feminine.”

One Thousand Museum is an ultra-luxury condominium designed by star architect Zaha Hadid. Located in Downtown Miami, just minutes from South Beach and the Brickell, it rises 62 stories and included 84 museum-quality residences, comprised of 4 duplex townhouses and 10 full-floor penthouses. It is the first residential development in South Florida to have his own rooftop helipad. Other amenities include an infinity-edge pool, a sky lounge overlooking the bay, ocean and city, and a high-security vault allowing residents to valuables such as artwork and antiques. It was described as “one of the most complex skyscrapers ever to make it off the drawing board”.

A pioneer in the contemporary rug industry, Italian manufacturer G.T.Design combines artisanal techniques and manual craftsmanship with cutting edge technology to produce luxurious custom made products.Using top-quality natural materials and high-performance technical yarns, G.T.Design’s signature collections and bespoke creations have an unparalleled attention to detail.

Working alongside architects and interior designer to integrate the textile element in their project, G.T.DESIGN, with its vocation for research, has shifted the perception contemporary rugs from a simple accessory to an essential element in interior design.