HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinal Designation Report As Amended by HEPBTHE BABYLON
240 SE 14 Street
Final Designation Report
Historic and Environmental Preservation Board
City of Miami
1
REPORT OF THE CITY OF MIAMI
PRESERVATION OFFICER
TO THE HISTORIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION BOARD
ON THE POTENTIAL DESIGNATION OF
240 SE 14 STREET
AS A HISTORIC SITE
Prepared By: Megan Cross Schmitt
Historic Preservation Officer
Trisha Logan
Historic Preservation Planner
Passed and Adopted On: July 5, 2016
Resolution Number: HEPB-R-16-033
2
The Babylon, 240 SE 14 Street
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I. General Information
II. Statement Of Significance
III. Historical Context of the Site
IV. Architectural Description
V. Analysis
VI. Preservation Incentives
VII. Application of Criteria
VIII. Bibliography
IX. Photographs & Figures
Contents
4
List of Figures
Figure 1: Tax Card Photos of 240 SE 14 Street
Figure 2: Tax Card Map of 240 SE 14 Street
Figure 3: 1948 Aerial View of 240 SE 14 Street
Figure 4: 1969 Aerial View of 240 SE 14 Street
Figure 5: Zoning Map - Ordinance 6871 (1960)
Figure 6: Zoning Map - Ordinance 9500 (1982)
Figure 7: Zoning Map - Ordinance 11000 (1990)
Figure 8: Zoning Map - Miami 21 (2010)
Figure 9: College of Architecture, University of Houston
Figure 10: The AT&T Building, New York, New York
Figure 11: The Pyramids, Indianapolis, Indiana
Figure 12: Villa Savoye, Poissey, France
Figure 13: Babylon Apartments, east fagade.
Figures 14 & 15: Babylon Apartments, northeast fagade.
Figures 16: Babylon Apartments, streetview.
Figure 17: Babylon Apartments, rendering (courtesy of Arva Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
Figure 18: Progressive Architecture magazine, January 1978
Figure 19, 20, & 21: Schematic line drawings of Babylon Apartments. (courtesy of Arva Moore
Parks/Arquitectonica).
Figure 22: Babylon Ground Floor Plan (courtesy of Arva Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
Figure 23: Babylon 2nd & 3rd Floor Plans (courtesy of Arva Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
Figure 24: Babylon 4th and 5th Floor Plans (courtesy of Arva Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
Figure 25: Babylon 4th and 5th Floor Plans (courtesy of Arva Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
5
I- General Information
Historic Name:
The Babylon
Current Name:
The Babylon
Date of Construction:
1982
Location:
240 SE 14 Street
Miami, Florida 33131
Present Owner:
Babylon International, Inc.
180 Island Drive
Key Biscayne, Florida 33149
Present use:
Multi -Family Residential
Zoning:
T6-8-R
Folio No.:
01-4139-068-0001
01-4139-068-0010
01-4139-068-0020
01-4139-068-0030
01-4139-068-0040
01-4139-068-0050
01-4139-068-0060
01-4139-068-0070
01-4139-068-0080
01-4139-068-0090
01-4139-068-0100
01-4139-068-0110
01-4139-068-0120
01-4139-068-0130
01-4139-068-0140
Boundary (Legal Description):
Babylon Towers Condo Point View Sub PB 2-93 Lot 5 Less Nly 10ft for R/Q & S % of outlot less
my 25 ft for R/W blk 2 lot size 15,646 sq ft F/A/U 01-
6
Setting:
The structure is located on SE 14 Street within the lower section of Brickell in an area called
Point View.
Integrity:
The structure has not been subject to major alterations on the exterior and retains a high level
of integrity.
7
II- Statement of Significance
The Babylon is one of the first projects completed by Arquitectonica within the City of Miami.
This world-renowned architectural firm was founded in Miami in the late 1970s and from the
start, their work has been credited with changing the skyline of the city. Statements such as this
one regarding their significance were being made as early as 1984:
And today Miami is recognized for its association with Arquitectonica, a firm whose
unmistakable style, distinguished by high-spirited and unambiguous forms set off in
brilliant colors, has created landmarks along Biscayne Bay.1
Arquitectonica was inventive with the zoning regulations that were set forth at the time,
producing many designs that were dream-like yet buildable. Early on, the firm gained widespread
praise with multiple news sources vying for interviews with the young principals during the early
1980s. Almost immediately following the formation of Arquitectonica, the original founders won
their first award, the P/A (Progressive Architecture) Citation Award for the Babylon apartments
in 1978.
Departing from what many of their peers were doing during this time period, Arquitectonica did
not create designs in the newly coined style, Postmodernism. Instead they used the Modern style
as a basis with an added twist to create a fresh and innovative take, making the end product
something that was unique to the time in which they were designing. The Babylon's most unique
and eye-catching feature is of course the ziggurat form that faces SE 14 Street. Part of the
significance and boldness of this form comes from the red color that is vividly on display.
It is clear that this structure was an advancement for the architectural firm Arquitectonica and
provided an opportunity for them to launch a successful career. The Babylon also tells a story of
development within the city of Miami, particularly in the neighborhoods of Brickell and Point
View. Its bold facade creates a lasting impact signifying good design dictated by the constraints
of the first Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, where many other buildings failed. This also points
to its artistic and aesthetic merit and overall integrity that the structure has retained during its
lifetime.
With this achievement at the launch of their career, and the larger scale projects that coincided
within this same time period, Arquitectonica as a firm received recognition from international
news sources. Their work has also been critiqued globally, usually highlighting the Babylon as one
of the firm's achievements in design. Comparatively to their peers at the time who were mostly
following the trend and creating architecture in the Postmodern Style, Arquitectonica marched
to the beat of their own drum and made designs unique to their time.
1 Koeper, Frederick. Arquitectonica, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: An exhibition of drawings, models, plans
and photographs, 1977-1984. Center for the Fine Arts, Miami, Florida 1984.
8
III- Historical Context of the Site
History of Point View
The Babylon is located within the lower section of Brickell in an area named Point View. Point
View is located between SE 14th Street and SE 15th Road and is comprised of two semi -circular
roads that form an inner and outer ring that each start at Brickell Avenue, then swing out towards
the bay and return back to Brickell Avenue. Around the outer ring at the circular edge, the lots
are all irregularly shaped.
Originally, this neighborhood served as one of Miami's first subdivisions, providing ample sized
lots to accommodate grand homes for many significant residents of the City's early history. Locke
T. Highleyman was the developer, creating the plan of the subdivision and selling the first lots in
1911.2 As described in Dade Heritage Trust's, Brickell South Tour, "Highleyman was a banker, real
estate broker, and developer. He arrived in Miami in 1903 and made it his permanent home in
1913."3 He used dredge from the bay to infill portions, creating additional land and the semi-
circular shape of the neighborhood. This semi -circular layout of the neighborhood created pie -
shaped as well as irregularly shaped lots that can still be seen in the plan of the subdivision today.
Over time, all of the houses were demolished to make way for high-rise condominiums. Aerial
maps show that much of the neighborhood was still mostly intact as of 1961 but by 1969, it
appears that several large condominiums had been constructed on the outer ring of the
subdivision.
Figure 1: Tax Card Photos of 240 SE 14 Street
2 Parks, Arva Moore. "Point View." Date Unknown.
3 Piket, Casey. "Brickell South Tour." Dade Heritage Trust. 2016
9
Figure 2: Tax Card Map of 240 SE 14 Street
Figure 3: 1948 Aerial View of 240 SE 14 Street
Figure 4: 1969 Aerial View of 240 SE 14 Street
Arquitectonica
Arquitectonica was founded by five members in 1977: Bernardo Fort -Brescia, Andres Duany,
Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Hervin Romney and Laurinda Spear. By the early 1980s, Duany, Plater-
Zyberk and Romney had moved on, and Fort -Brescia and Spear were left as the remaining
principals of the firm.'
Arquitectonica's work has been making a strong impression since its inception. In 1978, the firm
completed its first project, The Pink House, a Miami Shores residence designed for Laurinda
Spear's parents. Once described as "ultramodern and romantic, unrestrained and disciplined,
shocking and pleasing, inviting and challenging all at the same time," the house caused
controversy and delight.5 Five different shades of pink were used in the painting of the house:
"There were parades of sightseers, anonymous phone calls, angry letters, committee meetings.
And then praise, approbation, esteem, when the house became the darling of the international
design press."6
This contradictory reaction to Arquitectonica's work may have originated with its first project but
it has persisted ever since. In 1982, Miami Herald architecture critic Beth Dunlop wrote:
"Arquitectonica's work is inventive and infuriating, provocative and provoking, elegant and
arrogant. It's delightfully child -like, offensively cute, sleekly sophisticated and sometimes very
sloppy. All at once."'
In the same article, Dunlop went on to say this about the Babylon:
The Spear house was completed in 1978, and for a while, it was Arquitectonica's only
finished product. But that same year, the firm won its first Progressive Architecture
award, an annual prize by that magazine for promising design work. The drawings for
the Babylon split jurors, one of whom praised its "Chagallian, Star Wars" look and
another of whom said it was ugly. But more than the Pink House (which, after all, was
done in conjunction with Koolhaas and for one partner's parents), the award
represented Arquitectonica's real launching.
The Babylon is finally being completed at the corner of SE 14th Street and South
Bayshore. And — speaking here sheerly in terms of design — it turns out to be a pretty
nice apartment building, neither surreal, nor ugly. It's right in scale with the adjacent
neighborhood mansions, and despite its colors — brick red, bright red, turquoise and
gray (right now) — it slides beautifully into its context.
Each succeeding floor of the six -story Babylon steps back, ziggurat style, and that
accomplishes two things: It gives the building a ship -like scale and it hearkens back to
4 Dunlop, Beth. Arquitectonica (New York: Rizzoli, 2004), 37.
'Allman, T.D. Miami: City of the Future (New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1987), 33.
6 Kron, Joan. "My Son, the Architect: Houses for Parents." New York Times (New York), November 12, 1981.
Dunlop, Beth. "Arquitectonica Turns Design into Child's Play." Miami Herald (Miami), April 4, 1982,
Architecture/Comment sec.
11
early modern European buildings. With a false top and cookie cutter windows, it's
very entertaining.
Were it not for a real failure to attend to the finishing details of construction, the
Babylon would be the best achievement of Arquitectonica: the painted walls have a
wonderful cardboard —thin quality to them, and the stepbacks and the cutouts give the
building a delightful silhouette.'
This is one of many references made specifically to the Babylon by both local and national
newspapers and magazines profiling the firm in the early 1980s. Though some of their other
projects such as the Palace, the Atlantis Condominium and the Imperial may have been better
known outside of Miami, the Babylon seems to have stood out on its own, never falling into the
shadow of the other, larger -scale projects. It was even described as a "landmark in Point View"
as early as 1983, just one year after its completion.9
Award Winning
Progressive Architecture or otherwise known as P/A magazine was a well -respected architectural
publication that published their record of new and groundbreaking architectural design starting
in the early 1940s through the mid-1990s. An early architecture and drafting magazine, Pencil
Points, which began in 1920 merged with Progressive Architecture in 1943. Starting in 1972, John
Morris Dixon, a career long architectural magazine editor, took over as the Editor of Progressive
Architecture magazine and continued in that role until Architecture magazine took over is 1996.
Each year, the Progressive Architecture Magazine would hold an awards competition "to
recognize the most promising architecture before construction."10 Entries were submitted as
"paper architecture"11 in the form of plans, as the projects were in the design phase and were
yet to be built. New York Times architecture critic, Ada Louise Huxtable, commented that,
"Nothing stops the magazine Progressive Architecture from the completion of its annual task: the
P/A awards that both herald and record the state of the art with amiable regularity."12 As of 1988,
the magazine stated that, "In the thirty-five years since it started, 224 renowned judges "have
reviewed some 26,000 submissions and chosen 849 for recognition." 13 The deadline for
applications was September of the previous year, with judging following shortly after the
submissions were received. Awards were divided into three separate divisions; architectural
design, planning and urban design, and applied research. Within each of these divisions, the
$ Dunlop, Beth. "Arquitectonica Turns Design into Child's Play." Miami Herald (Miami), April 4, 1982,
Architecture/Comment sec.
Zaldivar, R.A. "Gary's Banker Friend Asks Zoning Variance." Miami Herald (Miami), September 23, 1983, Local
sec.
10 Sarfatti Larson, Magali. Behind the Postmodern Facade: Architectural Change in Late Twentieth Century America.
University of California Press, Ltd., London, England, 1993. Page 185
11 Ibid. Page 185.
12 Huxtable, Ada Louise. "Award Winners — Outrageous Yet Appealing." The New York Times 26 February 1978: Page D25. Print
13 Sarfatti Larson, Magali. Behind the Postmodern Facade: Architectural Change in Late Twentieth Century America.
University of California Press, Ltd., London, England, 1993. Page 184. In reference to P/A Magazine Issue January
1988.
12
awards were given in three categories; "First Award" went to the overall winner, "Award"
typically went to several submissions as a second place, and the rest of the winners were labeled
"Citations." The results showcased within the magazine which published a special awards issue
in January. Within the awards issue of the P/A magazine, each award -winning project was listed
and displayed with "iconographic presentations with excerpts of the judges' debates."14
Awards have been used as a way to distinguish new architecture, setting apart groundbreaking
projects and innovative design from the rest as well as acting as record of the trends. Ada Louise
Huxtable, architecture critic, stated, "Styles seem to change with the seasons, supported by ideas
ranging from superficial to profound." Awards also have the ability to give credit and a nod of
approval from the industry to up-and-coming architects who are just starting their careers. The
P/A Awards were no different. Architect Rob Quigley is cited as stating that, "Of course they all
submit, they see a PA award as enormously prestigious; they all want that sanction from the
community of architects."15
Throughout the years, the P/A Awards went through several highs and lows, and the winners that
were selected each year were highly dependent on who was selected for the panel of judges. The
magazine would attempt to diversify their jurors by adopting "parameters that are not merely
geographic, but stylistic and technical as well"16 and would tend to dictat the architectural
debate. In reference to the jury of 1975, Peter Eisenman stated that "this year's (jury) reasserts
the necessary aspect of architectonic quality and development toward a solution, as opposed to
process only or good intention. I think this restatement of the architect's role, the spatial answer
to a programmatic statement, is reassuring."17
As of the 25th Annual Progressive Architecture Awards, the jury consisted of eight members that
were divided between each category. Architecture or planning firms of each jury member were
not allowed to submit if they were serving on the jury and all entries were anonymous, leaving
the process as neutral as possible. Three jurors were assigned to the initial review of the
architecture design submission, two for planning and urban design, and two for applied research.
After the initial review, the full committee of jurors would come together to finalize the selected
winners.
This period of time also coincided with a financial crisis that struck during the mid-1970s and
continued for several years, impacting planned developments. There was a huge decrease in the
number of entries into the Progressive Architecture Awards due to the economic crisis, but this
also brought on a change in the way projects were evaluated and designed. Peter Eisenman, a
juror from the 1975 Progressive Architecture Awards, "stressed the intrinsic virtues of design"
and the "architect's role as avant-garde artist." 18 Additionally developers "spurred on
14 Ibid. Page 187.
is Ibid. Page 185
16 Ibid. Page 187
17 Ibid. Page 185
18 Sarfatti Larson, Magali. Behind the Postmodern Facade: Architectural Change in Late Twentieth Century America.
University of California Press, Ltd., London, England, 1993. Page 227
13
architectural revisionism" and clients "wanted their buildings to look rich, playful, and
different."19 The chart below shows the varying number of entries submitted between 1975
through 1984, but also shows the inconsistencies between the number of awards given
compared to the number of entries.
Year
Number of
Entries
Number of
Awards
Percentage
(awards/entries)
1975
737
21
2.84
1976
462
20
4.30
1977
619
27
4.36
1978
654
34
5.19
1979
923
28
3.00
1980
928
28
3.00
1981
1049
31
2.95
1982
1066
22
2.06
1983
1040
26
2.50
1984
934
28
2.99
20
Arquitectonica won several P/A Awards and Citations as an up-and-coming architecture firm. But
even prior to the founding of Arquitectonica, Laurinda Spear won her first award in 1975 for a
design that she collaborated on with Rem Koolhaas for her parent's home in Miami Shores,
Florida.
As a newly established firm, Arquitectonica won its first Citation for Architectural Design for the
Babylon Apartments for the 25th Annual P/A Awards (1978). The graphics that are displayed in
P/A magazine's awards issue accurately reflect what was built several years later. The jury
commented on the quality the graphics, and one juror even went so far as to explicitly state that
they did not support giving an award to this project. These comments were included as part of
the Progressive Architecture January 1978 edition:
Charles Moore: 1 like the Chagallian, Star Wars quality of the graphics... drawn in
a pseudo -archaic manner... [It is} a return to a previous era and strikes a nostalgic
note that has appeal partially as a reaction against many of the other directions
19 Ibid. Page 243
20 Ibid. Page 256
14
that are evident today, and partly because of the sheer romance of certain parts
of the plan. It would be fun to live in it. The same feeling of joy might occur each
time you return to the building.
Natalie de Blois: It would be a mistake to give this building an award. It's ugly, it
doesn't make sense. The drawings are cute... but the building is indistinguishable
it terms of architecture.21
Additional commentary regarding the 1978 awards was included as part of Ada Louise Huxtable's
architecture column in the New York Times. Huxtable states that, "if the group of architectural
design award winners indicates the state of the art today — and it is fair to say that they are
generally on the cutting edge of esthetic [sic] exploration — then architecture is in a curious and
troubling phase."22 Going further she comments that "the results tend to be both outrageous
and appealing — a paradox in itself."23 The P/A Award winners under the Architectural Design
category for 1978 range in building type, with single family homes winning five of the nineteen
awards24, but also stylistically. Further on in Huxtable's review she states, "What we are given
this year, in fact, is an extremely mixed architectural bag."25
1978 Jury Members
Architectural Design:
William Bain, Jr., FAIA, Partner, Naramore Bain Brady & Johanson, Seattle
Natalie de Blois, FAIA, Senior Project Designer, 3D/International, Houston
Richard Meier, FAIA, Richard Meier and Associates, New York
Charles Moore, FAIA, Professor of Architecture, UCLA, Los Angeles
Planning and Urban Design:
Calvin Hamilton, Director of Planning, City of Los Angeles
David Lewis, AIA, ARIBA, AIP, founder and Partner, Urban Design Associates, Pittsburgh
Applied Research:
Robert Gutman, Professor of Sociology, Rutgers University, and Visiting Professor of
Architecture and Planning, Princeton University
Robert Shibley, Architect, Office of the Chief Engineer, Army Corps of Engineers, Washington26
21 Dixon, John Morris, "The 25th P/A Awards." Progressive Architecture. January 1978. Page 83. Print.
22 Huxtable, Ada Louise. "Award Winners — Outrageous Yet Appealing." The New York Times 26 February 1978: Page D25. Print
23 Ibid.
24 Dixon, John Morris, "The 25th P/A Awards." Progressive Architecture. January 1978. Page 66. Print.
25 Huxtable, Ada Louise. "Award Winners — Outrageous Yet Appealing." The New York Times 26 February 1978: Page D25. Print
26 Dixon, John Morris, "The 25th P/A Awards." Progressive Architecture. January 1978. Page 65. Print.
15
1978 Architectural Design P/A Award Winners
Award
Type
Project
Architect
Location
First Award
Single Family House
The Pink House
Edward Mills
Friendship, MD
Award
Pavilion for ski resort
Pavillon Soixante-Dix
Peter D. Rose with
Peter Lanken and James
V. Righter
St-Sauveur,
Quebec
Award
Single Family House
Kornaza Residence
Chimacoff/Peterson
Montauk, NY
Award
Training Center
Petromin Refining
Training Center
Perkins & Will
Saudi Arabia
Award
Office/Warehouse
Chem -Fleur Factory
Addition and
Renovation
Michael Graves
Newark, NJ
Citation
Warehouse
Renovation into Single
Family House
Graves Warehouse
Renovation
Michael Graves
Princeton, NJ
Citation
Multi -Family
Condominiums
Lovett Square
William T. Cannady
Houston, TX
Citation
Multi -Use
Westlake Park
Mitchell/Giurgola
Architects
Seattle, WA
Citation
Pedestrian Bridge
Gymnasium Bridge
Steven Holl
Bronx, NY
Citation
Single Family House
Prototype
Mason Truc
Robert S. Livesey
Mt. Kisco, NY
Citation
Multi -Family
Condominiums
The Babylon
Apartments
Arquitectonica
Miami, FL
Citation
Warehouse/Offices
Morgenstern
Warehouse
Eric Moss and James
Stafford
Los Angeles, CA
Citation
Office Building
Monroe Center
C.F. Murphy Associates
Chicago, IL
Citation
(44) Single Family
Houses
Ghent Square
Barton Myers
Associates
Norfolk, VA
Citation
(55) Single Family
Houses
Braemar Ridge
John Perkins Associates
Braemar Ridge,
B.C.
Citation
Office Building
Office building for a
sawmill
RIA Architects
Vancouver, B.0
Citation
Adaptive Re -Use of
Substation
Jessie St. Substation
W.A. Werner Associates
San Francisco, CA
Citation
Private Museum and
Office
Goebel Collectors'
Club
Robert Wagenseil Jones
& Associates
Stamford, CT
Citation
Single Family House
Vacation House
Jorge Silvetti
Djerba, Tunisia
27
Architectural critics for various newspapers would provide commentary about the awards
throughout the years with mixed reviews. The columnists would remark about whether or not
the P/A Awards were actually meaningful, particularly since the jurors were judging buildings that
were to potentially be built based on plans, models, and renderings. One such column in the
Chicago Tribune was entitled, "The awards for buildings deserve the booby prize," with the first
sentence reading, "Progressive Architecture magazine has announced the winners of its 22d [sic]
27 Ibid. Pages 68-91.
16
annual [and still nonsensical] awards competition."28 Even with the critical review the magazine
often received throughout the years, it still serves its overall purpose — as a record of architectural
style and trends that will prove as an invaluable resource for historians in the future.
Site Zoning Constraints
The Babylon was designed in 1979, with construction completed in 1982. It was subject to the
Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance which was first adopted under Ordinance 6871 in 1960. The
zoning for the property at the time of design was "R-5", entitled High Density Multiple. The
following outlines the constraints of construction on the lot where the Babylon is located as
described within Article X — High Density Multiple — R-5 District:
Section 1— Use Regulations
No building or structure, or part thereof, shall be erected, altered or used or land or water used
in whole or in part, for other than one or more of the following specified uses:
(4) Apartment building and apartment hotel not exceeding a density of (1) dwelling unit for
each four hundred and fifty (450) square feet of lot area. (Ord. 7508)
Section 2 — Area
(1) The lot area shall be at least ten thousand (10,000) square feet with a minimum average
width of one -hundred (100) feet.
(2) A lot which as less width or less area that here and above required, which was a platted
lot of record prior to September 25, 1946, the date of Ordinance No. 3179, may be utilized
for a multiple family dwelling if it has an average width of at least forty-five (45) feet, and
a lot area of at least forty-five hundred (4500) square feet. If it has an average width of
less than forty (40) feet, or a lot area of less than four thousand (4000) square feet, it may
be utilized only for a single-family dwelling. (Ord. 7624)
Section 3 — Yards
(1) Front Yard: (Ord. 7508)
(a) Every lot shall have a front yard not less than twenty (20) feet in depth, and in no
instance shall any point on the build be closer to the centerline of the front street
than one-half (1/2) the height of said point above grade.
(2) Side Yard: (Ord. 7508)
(a) Every lot used for a one family, two family, or a multiple family dwelling shall have a
side yard on each side, each of which shall have a width of least (15) percent of the
width of the lot, provided that no side yard shall be less than nine (9) feet nor required
to be greater than eighteen (18) feet in width for a building not exceeding a height of
twenty-five feet.
(d) The width of the above -required yards shall be increased by one (1) foot for every two
(2) feet of building height above twenty-five (25) feet. Where a side lot line abuts a
28 Gapp, Paul. "The awards for buildings, deserve the booby prize." Chicago Tribune 23 February 1975:
Page E13. Print
17
street, the side yard required shall in no case be greater than twenty (20) feet, but no
point on the building shall be closer to the centerline of the side street than one-half
(1/2) the height of said point above grade.
(3) Rear Yard. (Ord. 7508)
(a) Every lot shall have a rear yard not less than twenty (20) feet in depth.29
Due to these restrictions, primarily with the required setbacks for the side yards that increased
with each escalation in height, the structure takes on its iconic ziggurat form. Within the
description in the 1978 P/A Awards issue, it states, "the city building code stipulates a certain
number of parking spaces and describes a set -back formula interpreted as a ziggurat envelope."3°
The firm was inventive with the regulations that were set forth at the time, a creativity that was
not always evident in construction of the period. As stated in a 1986 article in the Pennsylvania
Gazette, "Arquitectonica International's exuberant accomplishments may be all the more
remarkable because many of them work within such restraints of urban surroundings as density,
parking space, and city codes."31 Arquitectonica was generating new design that was visually
interesting and architecturally innovative, providing designs that were dream-like yet buildable.
Figure 5: Zoning Map - Ordinance 6871 (1960)
Figure 6: Zoning Map - Ordinance 9500 (1982)
29 City of Miami Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, adopted under Ordinance No. 6871: Article X — High Density
Multiple — R-5 District. Revised 1-1-1976. Page 39
3o Dixon, John Morris, "The 25th P/A Awards." Progressive Architecture. January 1978. Page 83. Print.
31 Author Unknown. "Miami Virtue: Arquitectonica." The Pennsylvania Gazette. April 1986. Page 31. Arquitectonica
Archives, History Miami.
18
Figure 7: Zoning Map - Ordinance 11000 (1990) Figure 8: Zoning Map - Miami 21 (2010)
Babylon: The Early Years
Once constructed, the Babylon sat empty.
According to the testimony of attorney Robert H. Traurig at the July 11, 1983 Zoning Board
meeting, the condominiums were not selling:
We went to the Planning Department and said, "We have tested the market
with this condominium, residential condominium, and the market has rejected
it and we can't sell apartments and we would like to use the building and it's
really on 14t" Street and not on the Point View curve and wouldn't it be
reasonable if we gave you an agreement not to take advantage of the SPI-5
ordinance in order to build a big building but just to get the uses that SPI-5
permits if we limited those uses to a combination of residential at the top, with
offices at the bottom," and we agreed and we have a covenant to submit that
says, "We will not change the structure at all and we will limit the building to
the three residential units on the top floor and the rest of the building will be,
could be used for offices if we desire..."32
What is more, the adjacent property to the south of the Babylon, 3517 South Bayshore Drive (lot
4), appears to have been one of the last surviving mansions from the original Point View
development and was fighting for its own future. Alan Bliss, the owner of the property (referred
to as the Commodore), testified at the same Zoning Board meeting in favor of the rezoning for
his own property:
sz Transcript from the City of Miami Zoning Board's July 11, 1983 meeting; Items 4 & 5.
19
I have been trying to sell the property and have found, the same as the Babylon
found, that nobody is buying residential today. There's foreclosure but there's
no buying. 1 have come up with an idea that I'm trying to promote to keep the
Commodore as a restaurant.33
Bliss goes on to explain that potential investors were interested in the site but only if they could
introduce office space due to what the market was demanding.
Not surprisingly, the proposal to introduce office use was met with strong opposition from
neighbors who were concerned about the increased vehicular and pedestrian traffic they feared
would come to their street. And not all residents were buying the "market demand" argument
in support of the rezoning. Jean Ryder, a resident of a nearby building, saw the Babylon's
challenges differently:
Furthermore, 1 really don't, again quote Mr. Traurig, 1 really don't think that
you can test the market, the realty market, with a building like the Babylon. I
think you're testing what people consider a livable building. It is unfortunate
and I'm sure they, both the builders and the lenders, are suffering financially
from what they put up there.34
The curve from SE 14th Street into South Bayshore Drive seems to have been caught in a battle
between the "new" Brickell, that of density and high rise office buildings, and the "old" Point
View, a more quaint and residential neighborhood. Interestingly, the Babylon was being
positioned as the protective barrier between these two worlds. Attorney Traurig stated:
Then you have the opportunity to transition with the Babylon by having the
existing building retained with a slight change in use and an increase in
landscaping and so forth...We urge you to at least support the Planning
Department's recommendations which are reasonable recommendations and
give protection to this neighborhood.3s
One of the recommendations from the Planning Department stated:
It is understood that the structure on Lot 5 [the Babylon] will be retained with
residential use in the upper portion and this will serve as a buffer between the
residential and non-residential zoning districts. The existing residential area
should be preserved to retain the concept of needed housing close in to the
downtown area...36
33 Transcript from the City of Miami Zoning Board's July 11, 1983 meeting; Items 4 & 5.
'Transcript from the City of Miami Zoning Board's July 11, 1983 meeting; Items 4 & 5.
3s Transcript from the City of Miami Zoning Board's July 11, 1983 meeting; Items 4 & 5.
36 Staff Analysis included in an Inter -Office Memo from Sergio Rodriguez, Executive Secretary to the Planning
Advisory Board to Howard V. Gary, City Manager, dated December 8, 1983.
20
In the end, the City Commission approved the rezoning that would allow the Babylon to expand
to some restricted office uses. In addition, ownership proffered a restrictive covenant that,
among other things, said that the building would be preserved, and that any modifications to the
interior or exterior would be limited to those required to adapt to the new use. It also had a
provision that mentioned that an appointed representative from the Point View Association, Inc.
"may require a change in the color of the exterior of the building to a color more in harmony with
the colors of buildings in the Point View neighborhood..."37
37 Declaration of Restrictions included in an Inter -Office Memo from Sergio Rodriguez, Executive Secretary to the
Planning Advisory Board to Howard V. Gary, City Manager, dated December 8, 1983.
21
IV - Architectural Description
Architectural Influences
The early work produced by the firm Arquitectonica could be categorized as the Modern Style,
but with a twist of the time in which they were creating. Even though many architects during the
late 1970s and early 1980s were contributing to the Post -Modern movement, Arquitectonica
does not identify its early work as Post -Modern primarily because they do not follow even the
most basic principles of the style.38 "A lot that was wrong with architecture had to do with
modernism, but instead of turning away from modernism with postmodernist historical touches,
as most of their colleagues were doing, Spear and Fort -Brescia sought a way in which to make
modernism work."39 Many architects and architectural critics were going through a love and hate
relationship with Postmodernism at the time, and for some a departure from this trend was seen
as a positive.
Arquitectonica was not necessarily creating a new style, but looking to update simplified
structures with added visual interest using colors and geometry in experimental ways.
"Arquitectonica is building on the spirit of daring and experiment that characterized the avant-
garde earlier in this century. 'We are not trying to create a new style.' Says Laurinda Spear, 33,
one of the founding partners. 'We are just trying to make modern architecture more lively and
up to date.' "40
By using geometrical shapes and forms, there can be relationship drawn between the Modern
Style and imitation of historic forms with the exterior appearance and overall shape of the
Babylon, the ziggurat. The ziggurat form can be seen throughout architectural history and is
replicated in many ways. The ancient Mesopotamian city, Babylon, could also potentially act as
the namesake for this condominium structure as it was home to the original ziggurat,
Etemenanki. Utilizing ancient forms in a simplified form creates a historic illusion.
Other structures that were completed during this same time period and also imitated historic
form in a modern dialect are the College of Architecture at the University of Houston constructed
in 1983-1985 and designed by Johnson/Burgee Architects and Morris-Aubry Architects; the AT&T
Building in New York City constructed in 1984 and designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee;
and the Pyramids in Indianapolis, Indiana constructed in 1972 and designed by Kevin Roche.
38 Van der Marck, Jan. Arquitectonica, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: An exhibition of drawings, models, plans and
photographs, 1977-1984. Center for the Fine Arts, Miami, Florida 1984.
39 Roberts, Patricia. "Making It in Miami." Publication Unknown. March 1983. Pages 71-76 Arquitectonica Archives,
History Miami. Page 74
4o Von Eckardt, Wolf. "Jazzing Up The Functional." Time Magazine. July 23, 1984. Page 91. Arquitectonica Archives,
History Miami.
22
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Figure 9: College of Architecture, University of
Houston (http://digital.lib.uh.edu/collection/p15195co113)
Figure 10: The AT&T Building ,
New York, New York
(http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/
photocred it/achievers/joh0-050)
Figure 11: The Pyramids, Indianapolis, Indiana
(http://www.bc.edu/bc org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/pyramids.html)
This moment served as an important crossroads in architecture with several of the early
modernist architects ending their careers, and leaving an entire new generation of architects to
emerge as leaders with new ideas. Fort -Brescia stated in an interview in the mid-1980s that,
"'There's a whole new design revolution going on,' he says. 'And there's a whole new generation
of people who are more demanding about the product they're going to buy to live in.' "41
41 Ferrell A.I.A., Stephanie. "Architecture at Fifty -Five Miles Per Hour: Arquitectonica." Southern Homes, Tampa
Bay Edition. Summer 1985.
23
Possible correlations could also be drawn to early modern architects such as Le Corbusier, who
often used a combination of geometrical forms within his architectural creations. One such
example is of his creation, Villa Savoye that was constructed between 1929 to 1931 in Poissey,
France. He utilized flat plane surfaces joined together and supported in layers of space with
geometric punctuations throughout, creating both interior and exterior spaces within the main
primary form. Within the AIA Guide to Miami Architecture, correlation is also drawn specifically
between the Babylon's stair -stepped feature and early twentieth century work designed by
French architect Henri Sauvage.42
a.... .. ,
Figure 12: Villa Savoye, Poissey, France
(http://www.architravel.com/architrave)/building/villa-savoye/)
Architectural Description
The lot on which the Babylon sits is approximately 15,000 square feet with the footprint of the
structure conforming to the constraints of the shape of the irregular lot. Rising six stories, this
residential structure is dwarfed among the taller high rises that surround and contains thirteen
residential units, with a mixture of one, two, and three -bedroom apartments. Structurally, the
Babylon is framed with reinforced concrete footings, columns, and beams that supported each
floor's pre -fabricated concrete slab and stucco wall skin.
Acting as a primary focal point of the structure is the front facade, a stair -stepped two-
dimensional wall plane constructed of concrete block that is coated in stucco, and painted a vivid
red color. This facade is referred to as a "ziggurat" and it is stated that it is "reminiscent of many
42 Shulman, Allan T.. Robinson Jr., Randall C., and Donnelly, James F. Miami Architecture: An AIA Guide Featuring
Downtown, the Beaches, and Coconut Grove. University Press of Florida. Gainesville, Florida. 2010.
24
Dutch 17th century facades"43 in the text description within the catalogue produced for an
exhibition of Arquitectonica's work between 1977 and 1984. A reason given for the stepped
design is so that the architecture could conform to the constraints of the lot as well as those of
the setbacks required under the then zoning code.
Facing the street, the front facade features a ziggurat design void of decoration, that folds
inwards into the lot. This inward fold creates an L-shaped cove that provides access via a zigzag
stairway to the second floor open-air lobby and residential units. Punctured into the facade are
rectangular window openings, fitted with clear fixed panes of glass, and aluminum sliding glass
doors along the horizontal plane of the structure, each opening onto the balconies. Giving an
additional sense of detail on the portion of the front facade that folds inward are square -shaped
openings fitted with glass block. A pipe railed balcony runs the full length of the facade, creating
a linear pattern and further accentuating the depth of the lot.
Going upwards at each level, the structure further narrows to match the bold ziggurat facade
containing sixteen apartment units. There are a total of five one -bedroom units, six two -bedroom
units, and five three -bedroom units. The first floor of the usable space is raised in order to
accommodate parking at grade level, creating a base for the structure. The base is constructed
of concrete with an opening on the front facade allowing cars access into the space directly from
the street. The concrete base was originally scored with masonry lines and painted a gray color
to mimic Florida keystone. Today this base is still painted gray however, the scoring lines have
disappeared.
The first level, referred to as "Ground Level" in the plans, provides an open-air lobby and entry
terrace, along with access to elevators and staircases that give access to the upper levels.
Habitable space starts at the second level. Within each of the units, they are typically laid out in
a linear fashion with semi -open floor plans that connect the kitchen, dining, and family rooms
with the bedroom(s) located at the opposite end. At the second floor the structure separates,
providing an open courtyard that is centralized on the plan containing the pool deck. This central
clearing makes way for a second visible ziggurat form that closely mirrors the outline of the front
facade. If viewed from an angle, looking southwards from SE 14' Street, the image of the double
facade and the overall length of the lot is captured.
43 Van der Marck, Jan. Arquitectonica, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: An exhibition of drawings, models, plans
and photographs, 1977-1984. Center for the Fine Arts, Miami, Florida 1984.
25
V - Analysis
Preservation of the Recent Past
It has been fifty years since the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), which was enacted by
Congress in 1966, and from this act, the National Register of Historic Places was created. Outlined
within the criteria for placement on the National Register are also exceptions, one of which is the
exception of the fifty-year age requirement.44 Since this enactment of the Preservation Act, there
have been examples of properties that are less than fifty years old that have been analyzed and
have proved exceptional significance. These properties are listed on the National Register of
Historic Places, as well as within their respective State and Local listings.
In evaluating a property for exceptional importance, the first thing to understand is the history
of why the minimum age "rule" is in place and how a piece of architecture would qualify under
this exception. John H. Sprinkle, Jr., Historian for the National Park Service, wrote an article in
The Public Historian, a journal for the National Council on Public History about the origins of the
"Fifty -Year Rule" in historic preservation. Sprinkle says this exception, Criterion G, "is probably
the best-known, yet also the most misunderstood preservation principle in America."45
In the first part of the article, he sets the stage for the creation of the NHPA, first describing a
survey that was initiated as a result of the 1935 Historic Sites Act. As part of this survey to identify
potential sites that could become national parks, historians submitted a report that "omits all
sites of contemporary or near contemporary nature which might lead to controversial
questions."46This created the first minimum age requirement which the National Park Service
set at the year 1870. Over the next thirty years, various recommendations were made on the
amount of lapsed time necessary to determine significance including the separation between
properties that qualified "for their association with nationally significant events or persons and
properties that were significant in the history of architecture."47 It was not until 1961, after the
establishment of a National Registry of Historic Landmarks that the fifty-year rule was first
codified and then it was further ratified with the adoption of criteria set forth for the National
Register of Historic Places.48
44 National Register Bulletin: How to Complete the National Register Form (Washington, DC: National Park Service,
1991), 37.
45 Sprinkle, Jr., John H., ""Of Exceptional Importance": The Origins of the "Fifty -Year Rule" in Historic Preservation."
The Public Historian, Volume 29, No. 2 (Spring 2007), pp. 81-103. University of California Press on behalf of the
National Council on Public History. Page 81.
46 Ibid. Page 83-84.
47 Ibid. Page 86-87.
48 Ibid. Page 90, 99.
26
DoCoMoMo (International Committee for the documentation and conservation of buildings,
sites, and neighborhoods of the modern movement) takes the evaluation further using a more
focused approach by outlining the following criteria that can be applied when evaluating
properties that fall within the modern movement.
1. Technological merit:
Does the work employ innovative modern technology to solve structural, programmatic, or
aesthetic challenges?
2. Social merit:
Does the design reflect the changing social patterns of 20th century life?
Did the designer attempt to improve either living or working conditions, or human behaviors
through the work's form or function?
3. Artistic and Aesthetic merit:
Does the work exhibit skill at composition, handling of proportion, scale and material and
detail?
4. Cannonic merit:
Is the work and/or architect famous or influential? Is it exemplary work?
5. Referential Value:
Did this work exert an influence on subsequent designers as a result of one or more of its
attributes?
6. Integrity:
Is the original design intent apparent? Have material changes been made which compromise
the architectural integrity of the structure or site?49
It is perhaps worth noting that not all local ordinances use the fifty-year rule in their designation
criteria. In his article, Sprinkle points out that the New York City Landmarks Preservation
Commission requires buildings to be at least thirty years old in order to be considered for
evaluation. He also mentions the California Register of Historic Places, which states that "[a]
resource less than fifty years old may be considered for listing in the California Register if it can
be demonstrated that sufficient time has passed to understand its historical importance..."so
Closer to home, Miami Beach's historic preservation ordinance does not specify a minimum age
for historic designation.
49 "How to evaluate modern buildings and sites: Selection Qualifiers." DoCoMoMo. Last accessed May 29, 2016.
http://www.docomomo-us.org/register/how_to_evaluate
so "California Office of Historic Preservation Techical Assistance Series #6. California Register and National Register:
A Comparison (for purposes of determining eligibility for the California Register)." Office of Historic Preservation,
Department of Parks and Recreation. Sacramento, California.
http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1069/files/technical%20assistance%20bulletin%206%202011%20update.pdf
27
Cases of Exceptional Importance of the Recent Past
In an effort to compare how other cases for "exceptional importance" were established, this
section will discuss buildings that were found to be eligible prior to turning 50 — on both the
Miami and the National Register of Historic Places.
Local Miami Register of Historic Places
Commodore Ralph Middleton Monroe/ Miami Marine Stadium
On October 7, 2008 by Resolution No. HEPB-2008-56, the City of Miami's Historic and
Environmental Preservation Board designated the Commodore Ralph Middleton Monroe/ Miami
Marine Stadium to the Miami Register of Historic Places. Constructed in 1963, the stadium was
45 years old at the time of designation, five years shy of the widely known, widely accepted "Fifty -
Year Rule." The HEPB determined that the building sufficiently met the following Criteria of
Chapter 23-4 of the Miami City Code to merit designation:
111. Exemplifies the historical, cultural, political, economical or social trends of the
community;
IV. Portray the environment in an era of history characterized by one or more distinctive
architectural styles;
V. Embody those distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style or period or
method of construction;
VII. Contains elements of design, detail, materials or craftsmanship of outstanding
quality or which represent significant innovation or adaptation to the South Florida
environment.
Additionally, the designation report (see attached) specifically states that an exception to the
standard fifty-year threshold could be made in the case of the stadium because it is "a work of
exceptional importance at the national, state or local level, it is the object of scholarship, it
represents a building or a structure whose development or design value is quickly recognized as
historically significant by the architectural or engineering profession."51 In this case, the evidence
provided within the analysis was sufficient to establish the "exceptional importance" of the site:
"Our understanding" of its history and its significance is well consolidated in
the historic context of our region. It is an exceptional example of mid-century
design at the local, state, national and even international levels. It has received
scholarly attention, being included in Randall C. Robinson's and Eric Nash's
book MiMo: Miami Modern Revealed, and a forthcoming book by Alan
Shulman with a chapter on the Marine Stadium by Jean-Frangois Lejeune. It
represents "an international style of architecture ... related to numerous
si Hernandez, Jorge L. "Designation Report for the Commodore Ralph Middleton Monroe Miami Marina Stadium."
October 7, 2008. Page 12.
28
political and social events and individuals" (N.R. Bulletin). It has received
recognition by the professional community and in the last six months, the effort
for its preservation and designation has captured the passion and support of a
groundswell of individuals and community organization, including the support
of local, state, national and international preservation institutions and the
local as well as national media.52
Bacardi Building Complex — Tower and Annex
On May 26, 2011 the City Commission upheld the HEPB's designation of the Bacardi Building and
the Annex Building with modifications to the original conditions that had been proffered with
Resolution No. HEPB-2009-64. The buildings were found to have sufficiently met the following
Criteria of Chapter 23-4 of the Miami City Code to merit designation:
III. Exemplify the historical, cultural, political, economical or social trends of the
community;
V. Embody those distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style or period or
method of construction.
Once again, the designation report (see attached) acknowledges that neither building had
reached the age of fifty at the time of the vote; the Bacardi Building was 46 years old in 2009 and
the Annex Building was 36 years old. The following explanation was given as to why both should
be considered exceptionally significant:
The Bacardi Buildings are of exceptional significance for their design which
incorporates elements of the International Style. The tower building is also a
tour de force in its engineering. The buildings have come to symbolize the
determination and abilities of the Cuban exile community. The buildings are
also constructed at a pivotal time in the Bacardi Company's history as it
becomes internationally known. The Bacardi Complex is perhaps the most
popular of all of Miami's Modernist buildings.53
National Register of Historic Places
Dulles International Airport
Construction was completed on Dulles International Airport in 1962, just one year after the death
of its world-renowned architect, Eero Saarinen. Calls to have the building listed on both the
National Register as well as the Virginia Landmarks Register started as early on as 1974.54 By
1978, the Keeper of the National Register had issued a determination that the terminal building
was, in fact, eligible:
52 Hernandez, Jorge L. "City of Miami Historic Designation Report for the Commodore Ralph Middleton Monroe
Miami Marina Stadium." October 7, 2008. Pages 12-13.
ss Lavernia, Laura. "City of Miami Historic Designation Report for the Bacardi Buildings." October 6, 2009. Page 20.
' Collection of letters regarding the potential designation of Dulles International Airport, 1974-1977.
29
As the first airport designed exclusively for jet travel, Dulles is significant as an
outstanding architectural symbol of twentieth-century technology and as Eero
Saarinen's greatest masterpiece. As conceived by Saarinen, Dulles is a
symbolic gateway.ss
Though the building has yet to be listed on the National Register due to issues related to
ownership, the determination of its eligibility only fifteen years after it was built is perhaps the
most extreme example of sufficient perspective occurring well before the fifty-year threshold.
Exceptional Importance of the More Recent Past
Research and precedence has been set for properties constructed in the nineteen fifties and even
the sixties. It is becoming more relevant to discuss properties that were constructed even later
in the 20th century where the importance of these styles has not been fully established. Within
the last several years, structures that were constructed in the more recent past that have
attributed to architectural, engineering, and social progression have become threatened with
demolition. The more notable recent stories are of the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, Prentice
Women's Hospital in Chicago, Illinois and the Portland Public Service Building in Portland,
Oregon. For each of these structures preservationists have reacted to these proposals of
demolition in protests and rallies of support that have not been seen since early in the
preservation movement.
Two of the three structures are currently standing, the Astrodome constructed in 1965 and the
Portland Public Service Building constructed in 1982, but neither have been locally designated
and may face threats of demolition in the future. The one structure that has been demolished,
Prentice Women's Hospital, completed 1975 and designed by Brutalist architect, Bertrand
Goldberg, contributed greatly to this on -going discussion of the National Register's criteria
exception for the age requirement.
The reports for each of these properties outlines the way in which each structure qualifies for
exceptional importance and the ability to meet Criteria Consideration G. In the Astrodome
National Register Nomination report, it states that the structure is an "exceptionally significant
example of stadium construction."56 Within the Portland Public Service Building report it states
that the structure fulfills the requirement of Consideration G because it is the, "first large-scale
manifestations of a new architectural style coming on the heels of the Modern movement."57
The report for Prentice Women's Hospital is written for the City of Chicago rather than for the
National Register, but does outline the structure's exceptional importance throughout the
report. Exceptional importance is primarily in the importance of innovation in concrete
ss Krulitz, M. Letter to Honorable Brock Adams, Secretary of Transportation regarding the eligibility of Dulles
International Airport to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 28 March 1978.
s6 Powell, Ted. "The Astrodome." National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. MacRostie Associates,
Washington, D.C., April 15, 1013.
57 Minor, Kristen and Johnson, lan P., "Portland Public Service Building." National Register of Historic Places
Registration Form. Peter Meijer Architect, PC, Portland, Oregon, March 1, 2011.
30
engineering, and specifically states that, "Since the time of construction architects, engineers,
and historians have recognized Prentice as exceptionally forward -thinking in its design, structure,
and program. It exemplifies the sculptural freedom, cultural optimism, and technological
experimentation that characterize modernist architecture."58
VI — Preservation Incentives
Upon designation, the property owner may avail itself of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)
Program as described in Chapter 23-6 and the Ad Valorem Tax Exemption program as described
within Chapter 23, Article II.
58 Ribstein, Susannah. "Prentice Women's Hospital." Prentice Chicago Landmark Nomination Final Report, Chicago,
Illinois, July, 2012.
31
VII - Criteria for Designation
The Babylon meets Criteria (3), (5) and (6) of Chapter 23-4 (a) of the City Code as described
below.
(3) Exemplify the historical, cultural, political, economical, or social trends of the
community;
The Babylon is located within the lower section of Brickell in an area called Point View.
Originally, this neighborhood served as one of Miami's first subdivisions, providing
ample sized lots to accommodate grand homes for many significant residents of the
City's early history. This semi -circular layout of the neighborhood created pie -shaped
as well as irregularly shaped lots that can still be seen in the plan of the subdivision
today.
By the time the Babylon was constructed in 1982, virtually all of the mansions had
been demolished to make way for high-rise condominiums. When condo sales failed
and the owners of the Babylon tried to rezone the property to allow for partial office
use, the building found itself at the heart of the battle between the "new" Brickell,
that of density and high rise office buildings, and the "old" Point View, a more quaint
and residential neighborhood. It was the Babylon's design and height that lead to the
suggestion that it remain in perpetuity to serve as the protective barrier, the transition
between these two worlds.
(5) Embody those distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style, or period, or
method of construction;
The Babylon tells a story of development within the City of Miami, particularly in
Brickell and Point View. Its bold facade creates a lasting impact signifying good design
dictated by the constraints of the first Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. This also
points to its artistic and aesthetic merit and overall integrity that the structure has
retained during its lifetime.
Due to these restrictions, primarily with the required setbacks for the side yards that
increased with each escalation in height, the structure takes on its iconic ziggurat
form. Within the description in the 1978 P/A Awards issue, it states, "the city building
code stipulates a certain number of parking spaces and describes a set -back formula
interpreted as a ziggurat envelope." The firm was inventive with the regulations that
were set forth at the time, a creativity that was not always evident in construction of
the period. As stated in a 1986 article in the Pennsylvania Gazette, "Arquitectonica
International's exuberant accomplishments may be all the more remarkable because
many of them work within such restraints of urban surroundings as density, parking
space, and city codes." Arquitectonica was generating new design that was visually
interesting and architecturally innovative, providing designs that were dream-like yet
buildable.
32
(6) Are an outstanding work of a prominent designer or builder;
Early on, the firm gained widespread praise. Almost immediately following the
formation of Arquitectonica, the original founders won their first award, the P/A
(Progressive Architecture) Citation Award for the Babylon apartments in 1978.
Departing from what many of their peers were doing during this time period,
Arquitectonica did not create designs in the newly coined style, Postmodernism.
Instead they used the Modern style as a basis with an added twist to create a fresh and
innovative take. Arquitectonica was a firm that marched to the beat of their own drum
and made designs unique to their time.
Criteria Exceptions
Per Section 23-4 (b) of the City Code, properties that are not 50 years of age at the time of
designation must be found to possess exceptional significance. After considering the
evidence and sworn testimony at the public hearing of July 5, 2016, the Historic and
Environmental Preservation Board found that the Babylon constitutes an exceptional piece
of architecture and property due to the presence of this iconic building, not withstanding that
it was designed in the late 1970s, constructed in 1982, and not yet fifty years old.
33
VIII - Criteria for Designation
Allman, T.D. Miami: City of the Future (New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1987).
Author unknown. "Rich and Famous." Progressive Architecture, February, 1983.
Berger, Philip. "Demolishing History: Helmut Jahn, Gene Summers, and The Threat to Chicago's
Postmodern Legacy." www.design.newcity.com, Chicago, Illinois. Last accessed May 17, 2016.
Boles, Daralice and John Morris Dixon. "Winners Rise." Progressive Architecture, January 1986.
Brown, Patricia Leigh. "Designs on Miami." Esquire, December 1984.
"California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Series #6. California Register and
National Register: A Comparison (for purposes of determining eligibility for the California
Register)." Office of Historic Preservation, Department of Parks and Recreation. Sacramento,
California.
http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1069/files/technical%20assistance%20bulletin%206%202011%2
Oupdate.pdf
Calonius, L. Erik. "Architectural Firm Alters Miami's Skyline and Calls National Attention to Its
Designs." The Wall Street Journal (New York), July 7, 1983.
City of Miami Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, adopted under Ordinance No. 6871: Article X —
High Density Multiple — R-5 District. Revised 1-1-1976. Page 39
City of Miami, Florida. Aerial maps, 1948
City of Miami, Florida. Aerial maps, 1969
City of Miami, Florida. Tax Card 3-43-3513, Point View Subdivision.
Declaration of Restrictions included in an Inter -Office Memo from Sergio Rodriguez, Executive
Secretary to the Planning Advisory Board to Howard V. Gary, City Manager, dated December 8,
1983.
Dixon, John Morris, "The 25th P/A Awards." Progressive Architecture. January 1978. Print.
Dunlop, Beth. Arquitectonica (New York: Rizzoli, 2004).
Dunlop, Beth. "Arquitectonica Turns Design into Child's Play." Miami Herald (Miami), April 4,
1982, Architecture/Comment sec.
34
Ferrell A.I.A., Stephanie. "Architecture at Fifty -Five Miles Per Hour: Arquitectonica." Southern
Homes, Tampa Bay Edition. Summer 1985.
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36
VII- Photographs & Figures
iar �e �1
04
#+
Figure 13: Babylon Apartments, east facade.
37
Figures 14 & 15: Babylon Apartments, northeast facade.
Figures 16: Babylon Apartments, streetview.
38
Figure 17: Babylon Apartments, rendering (courtesy of Arva Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
39
Arquitectonica
Striking, dreamlike graphics pay homage
to an earlier epoch in the life of Miami,
under whose moon may soon rise this
new apartment ziggurat, The Babylon.
Program- Design an aparlrner'l tiuiidkng
with a total of at least 15 one-, Iwo-. and
Tree -bedroom apartments, each with a
terrace and a view of the bay In addition
the building is to have a. swimming pool. a
patio, and a small exercise room.
Siie A small. wedge-shaped site in
downtown Miami on Biscayne Bay Be-
cause the site is located in a high -risk
Coastal Flood Zone, the first Wing level of
the building must be al least 7 ft above
existing grade Excavafice is impossible.
$outioi.- The Babylon is irregularly shaped
because its boundaries contorrn to the
nonrectangular site to take advantage cl
me maximum nuilding volume allowed by
taw Thus skews the building into a flatter-
ing forced perspective, The city burld!ng
code stipulates a certain number of park-
ing spaces and descnbes a set -back for-
mula interpreted as a ziggurat envelope.
For iconographic and functional rea-
sons, the ziggurat volume is modified in
two instances first. Ire front plane of the
form ,s folded, then a sectional slice us re-
moved From the mass Of the volume- Fold-
ing the front plane aligns The Babylon witty
the other buildings more definitively
situated along The curving shore. The
folded facade also maxirruzes the street
frontage rf the building and postrons the
front door to address the approach road-
way. Removing the slice from Inc mass of
the ziggurat creates a negative space, ttie
urban room, whicn becvrnes the public
0001 and patio area.
Materrafs and consfruceonr Travertine
base, masonry walls glass sliding doors:
tiled floors
Jury comments
Moon: I like the Chagallran, STar Wars
quality of the graphics . drawn in a
pseudo -archaic manner . - [It is] a return
to a previous era and strikes a nostalgic
note that has appeal partially as a reaction
11,13CAL ROOf FRAN
sgai net many of the Other directions that
are evident loday, and partly because of
he sheer romance of certain parts of Me
plan 11 would be fun to live in it. That same
eeling of joy rn.gnt occur each time you re -
urn to the bu'k ing.
.ye Blois: 11 would be a mistake to give this
wilding an award It s ugly, it doesn't
rake sense The drawings are cute .. .
3u1 the building itself is indistinguishable
n terms of architecture
Project: The Babylon Apartments,
MIarni FI
Archilects: Arguitectonrca, Miarni, Ft,
Memterrs Herein Romney, RA, C►ernente
DiF•Itippo, PE. RA, Andres Aisner, Andres
Duany, Bernardo Fort -Brescia. Elizabeth
Plates-Zyberk Laurinda Spear. project de-
signer. Bernardo For -Brescia, Laurinda
Spear
Client Pacific Developer Corporation.
1 78 Progressive Archisecrure 83
Figure 18: Progressive Architecture magazine, January 1978
40
Y-s
Figure 19, 20, & 21: Schematic line drawings of Babylon Apartments. (courtesy of Arva
Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
41
Figure 22: Babylon Ground Floor Plan (courtesy of Arva Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
Figure 23: Babylon 2nd & 3rd Floor Plans (courtesy of Arva Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
42
Pawn, floor $
Figure 24: Babylon 4th and 5th Floor Plans (courtesy of Arva Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
Soren Fbp �
1116immiamiL
MA*Plow A'
M ._
Ampolls Ibr A
.......
Figure 25: Babylon 4th and 5th Floor Plans (courtesy of Arva Moore Parks/Arquitectonica).
43