Located in Miami Beach, Procella Youth Center was a project I completed my third year of school. This project emphasizes using design to give buildings a unique sense place.

Specifically located along 82 Collins Ave in Miami Beach, the project is one of 8 lots surrounding North Beach Oceanside Park, the only park in North Beach. Procella accommodates the park with the buildings orientation , and pays reverence to the Atlantic Ocean by mirroring the ocean’s waves.

The project even flirted with the idea of being expanded across all 8 lots. I thought this image was important to include as it emphasizes the metaphorical cradle created with Procella and the Atlantic Ocean.

While the shape of Procella was created from its surroundings, the composition of Procella has strong ties with the programing of the project. The biggest restraint on the project was the amount of space required for the gym, skate shop, and juice bar. The skate shop and juice bar are best suited for the ground floor since they are retail, but the gym had flexibility to be something special.

In order to add significance to the gym I placed it on the top floor and wanted the roof exposed to the curved ceiling. The height of the building would allow you to see over the park and onto the ocean, while the curved roof shape opens up toward the ocean, guiding your eye there.

Another constricting requirement was the skate park, as there was a skate park on the site previously and it needed to be preserved or redone. I wanted the park to compliment the buildings so I choose to orientate the ground floor experience around it. Seen in the section, the skatepark is orientated so after your visit to the adjacent skateshop you can step outside and instantly begin skating down the ramp. Seen in the plan, Procella’s has a shaded circulatory spine along the backside with seating, promoting viewing the skaters while having a cocktail from the juice bar.

Procella was my first successful attempt at completing a project where every minute design detail was rooted in some form of reasoning. That level of competency within a project is something that makes me personally proud, and I look to recreate and improve upon with future projects.