The Architecture Firms Shaping South Florida’s New-Development Boom

South Florida luxury condo architects shaping the current new-development cycle include Arquitectonica, OMA, Safdie Architects, SOM and Foster + Partners. Their work spans branded residences and waterfront towers across Miami, Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, Bal Harbour, Coconut Grove, Hillsboro Beach and West Palm Beach.

For buyers comparing eight-figure residences across remarkably similar price ranges and view profiles, the architect credited with the building is increasingly the most useful filter for narrowing a shortlist. This guide explains who is designing what across South Florida’s most significant new developments, why architecture matters in a luxury purchase, and how to evaluate architect-led residences alongside the practical factors — developer, brand, delivery timeline, deposit structure, views, location, service model, rental policy and resale considerations — that ultimately drive a decision.

Why Architecture Has Become a Primary Filter for Luxury Buyers

In the current South Florida cycle, branded residences and waterfront new construction are clustered within similar price bands, view profiles and amenity programs. What now separates one tower from another, for many buyers, is the design intelligence behind it: how the building meets the site, how the floor plate yields to the view, terrace depth, ceiling height, glass ratios, and the silhouette a building projects on the skyline a decade out.

A globally recognized firm influences nearly every variable an owner lives with. It also tends to shape how the building is regarded over time — by future buyers, by the design press, and by the city itself.

Arquitectonica Miami Condos: A Defining Voice of the Skyline

Few firms are as closely identified with Miami as Arquitectonica. The studio is currently behind three notable new developments at different scales and locations.

The St. Regis Residences, Sunny Isles Beach

A two-tower, 62-story oceanfront project on 435 linear feet of beach with 174 residences and interiors by Anastassiadis. Developed by Fortune International Group and Chateau Group, with completion targeted for 2026.

Rosewood Residences Hillsboro Beach

A lower-rise expression of the firm’s vocabulary — a 10-story oceanfront tower paired with an Intracoastal condominium, 92 residences total, interiors by Piet Boon. Developed by The Related Group and Dezer Development, with pricing from $5,950,000.

THE WELL Coconut Grove

An eight-story, 194-residence wellness-led building under Coconut Grove’s canopy, with interiors by Meyer Davis for developer TERRA. Completion anticipated in 2028.

OMA Miami Beach Residences and West Palm Beach: Rem Koolhaas’s Studio in Florida

OMA — the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, founded by Rem Koolhaas — is known for buildings that argue with their own conventions. The firm is currently delivering two South Florida residences.

The Perigon Miami Beach

An 18-story, 73-residence oceanfront building at 5333 Collins Avenue, led by OMA New York Partner Jason Long. The facade is composed as a series of rotated “towers,” each angled to orient residences toward the Atlantic while preserving Biscayne Bay and Miami skyline views. Interiors by Tara Bernerd & Partners. The project is now in final completion phase; buyers should verify current status with the development team.

Banyan Tree Residences West Palm Beach

A 26-story dual-form tower in downtown West Palm Beach with 88 residences, interiors by Yabu Pushelberg, and a limited penthouse collection. Developed by Mast Capital and Curated JCZM, completion targeted for 2026.

Safdie Architects in West Palm Beach: Sculptural Form on the Intracoastal

The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, West Palm Beach

The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, West Palm Beach mark the arrival of Safdie Architects — the studio of Moshe Safdie, known internationally for Habitat 67, Marina Bay Sands and Jewel Changi Airport — to the Florida residential market. The 31-story tower, sited on a private shore of the Intracoastal Waterway, will contain 87 residences with interiors by Studio Munge for developer Great Gulf. Estimated groundbreaking is 2027, with completion targeted for 2029. Information is preliminary; buyers should verify with the development team.

SOM at Bal Harbour: An Oceanfront Statement

Rivage Bal Harbour

Rivage Bal Harbour brings Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) — among the most influential architecture firms of the past century — to a 25-story, 56-residence building positioned on what is described as the last beachfront development site in Bal Harbour. Interiors are by Rottet Studio; residences range from 3,300 to over 19,000 square feet. Developer is Two Roads Development, with delivery anticipated in 2027.

Foster + Partners in Brickell: Nobu’s First Residential Tower in Miami

619 Brickell

619 Brickell — the first residential project from Nobu Hospitality in Miami — is being designed by Foster + Partners in collaboration with Sieger-Suarez Architects. The 74-story tower, developed by 13th Floor Investments and Key International, will contain 300 residences and approximately 90,000 square feet of amenities along Biscayne Bay, with a ground-floor Nobu restaurant. Completion is targeted for 2030. As an earlier pre-construction project, details are subject to change.

How to Compare Architect-Led Residences: A Buyer’s Framework

A serious architect is one filter. The decision a buyer is actually making, however, sits at the intersection of design and a longer list of variables worth comparing across a shortlist:

• Pricing and floor plans. Published starting prices vary widely across the projects above. Floor plans, ceiling heights, terrace depths and exposure differ even within the same building.
• Developer track record. The developer determines delivery quality, finish standards and the long-term reputation of the address.
• Brand and service model. Hospitality-branded residences (St. Regis, Rosewood, THE WELL, Banyan Tree, Mandarin Oriental, Nobu) bring an operating standard and a service architecture. Non-branded buildings build their own service models, often at comparable specification.
• Delivery timeline and pre-construction risk. Completion dates across these projects range from near-term through 2030. Earlier-stage projects allow more selection in floor plan and finish but require longer holding periods through construction.
• Deposit structure. Schedules vary by project. Buyers should verify current deposit terms and escrow structures directly with the development team. This guide is not legal, tax or financial advice.
• Views and orientation. Oceanfront, Intracoastal, bayfront and downtown view profiles each carry different long-term value drivers.
• Location and lifestyle fit. Each submarket — Brickell, Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, Bal Harbour, Coconut Grove, Hillsboro Beach, West Palm Beach — carries a distinct lifestyle profile.
• Rental policy. Rental restrictions vary materially between buildings. Buyers should verify the rental policy directly with the development team.
• Resale considerations. Past performance does not predict future results; buyers should not assume any specific resale outcome.