Interview Italy-florida Mission - Italy-America Chamber of Commerce ...

CULTURE
Miami Design District
Culture and Italian Style in the Heart of Miami
By Flavia Ambrosetti
"If cities are living entities, then there comes a time when they have to grow up"
Robert Johnston, Wallpaper* n.75 Jan.2005
Nothing is truer for Miami. In the last ten years, this city
has been growing and expanding both economically and
spatially, but that has also given a new shine to its image.
Today, Miami is trendy, glamorous, and stylish. The "most
exiting city" of 2004 for the English design magazine
Wallpaper*, renown as the trendiest UK design publication.
If the image of Miami has changed from the city of
vice to the capital of design, it is also thanks to some unexpected
and unprecedented contributors like Art Basel.
The prestigious art fair landed here two years ago, recalling
the entire art world's attention on Miami. Art Basel's
presence has reinforced the renaissance that Miami is
already living and pushed it even further by making the
rest of the world aware of it. The Swiss fair chose Miami
for its tropical version of Art Basel for many reasons
beyond the climate. Most notably, the presence of many
passionate (and wealthy) art collectors and the existence
of an area called the Miami Design District.
Amid the sparkles of Miami's rebirth, The Miami Design
District has become a stimulating and possibly even the
trend setter of this new image. Art, design, and architecture
are the true inhabitants of the District's 18’ square
blocks. Not long ago the Miami Design District was a
derelict neighborhood of warehouses and showrooms.
Today, the District is decked with international art galleries,
design companies, artists, and fashion designers
and its potential is not yet fully in force. Its revival can be
attributed to the real estate developer and art collector
Craig Robins, who six years ago brought together various
renowned architects and urban planers in order to reconstruct
this area.
Italy could not miss this opportunity, since when there is
anything fashionable involved, Italians are always nearby.
In fact, the Italian presence in the District is quite striking.
Nearly twenty Italian businesses opened up shop in the
District and there are yet more to come. The interest Italy
shows for Miami only seems to be logical, considering
Miami's inclination to the contemporary and stylish. Italy
is one of the leader countries in the design sector, not only
in terms of production but also in terms of new ideas.
Surprisingly, may be, the parallels between Miami and
some Italian cities are multiple. Thinking of Italy, one may
envision its old historical cities and find this comparison
to be unusual. However, the interest of both Italy and
Miami for what is new and beautiful makes them similar
and compatible.
Miami's urban landscape is changing. There are new luxury
construction sites on every corner that once finished,
will be filled with opulent kitchens, tiles, marble, and furniture.
Products that Italy excels in. Fendi Casa has been
the last addition to a long list of Italian brand names that
populate the streets of the Design District that include
prestigious firms, such as Poltrona Frau, Kartell,
Poliform, and Fantini Mosaici, be sure that others will
follow soon.
What was once merely a hidden area of the metropolis is
now becoming more and more popular, no wonder that
some already compare the Design District to New York's
cool Soho. And Italians are there, vigilant, eager to be the
leaders in the resurrection of the Miami Design District. �
.5 .it italian trade