CALLE OCHO
Professor Keyla Hernandez
Spring 2023
Calle Ocho (8th Street) is a well known and loved street in Miami, however lacking in landscape design and development. With downtown Miami only being a few miles away, attraction and foot traffic is increasingly difficult to maintain.
01 | SITE LOCATION
Context and Culture
Calle Ocho, located in Little Havana, Miami, provides an intriguing exploration of Latin and Cuban culture within an architectural framework. The street, adorned with vibrant murals, stands as a testament to the architectural and artistic expressions of the community. The annual Calle Ocho Festival transforms the architectural landscape with parades and performances, yet the review suggests an opportunity for thoughtful design interventions to enhance comfort and sustainability in this culturally rich environment.
The tropical warmth and humidity, however, create an uncomfortable climate that prompts consideration for architectural enhancements. Amidst the existing structures, the need for more shading and greenery becomes evident, offering relief from the sometimes stifling conditions.
02 | FORM AND STRUCTURE
Massing and Circulation
The inspiration of this massing comes from a personal project from earlier in the year, The Terrarium. Through the process of inverting negative space into positive space and carving out necassary boundaries, the final massing for the structure was created. The overall appeal to this specific situated form is the shading aspect of the form. With staggered gaps spanning as wide as 15 feet, there are many moments where relief from harsh sun without impairing the ability for plantlife to thrive.
Once the massing was determined, the designated spaces for program were carved out, allowing the organic flow of exterior walls to be reflected to the interior walls. Not only did this create the illusion of more open spaces, but it allowed for a more unique connection for circulation between each space.
03 | LANDSCAPE
Collections by Function
When it came to addressing the style and layout of the landscape, the three dimensional form was translated into a two dimensional pattern, drawing silhouettes from different cuts taken from The Terarrium.
With the primary goal of addressing the shading and seating limitations along Calle Ocho, five different catagories were created to fulftll - hills, seating, ponds, planters, and decorative rocks.
04 | BLENDING APPLICATION
Functionality in Practice
To bring it all together, the inward-facing exterior walls became living walls, completing the greenscape and marrying the landscape with the structure.
Cooling Down
Between shade provided by the building, sculptural rocks for relaxing against, and shallow ponds for meditating about, there is plenty space for cooling down, relaxing, and espcaping from the sun.
Accentuating the Space
The landscape is not only meant to accentuate the surrounding area, but also create complimentary views from the inside of the structure looking out.
