Coral Gables,FL

With a history that spans 85 years, The Frost School of Music has grown into the national music leader in higher education, presenting over 350 performances per year and working to enhance the cultural richness of Miami and the surrounding region of South Florida.

Continuously recognizing the need to create more flexibility, appropriately size its venues to accommodate a range of performances, and upgrade the current technology, the university recently embarked on creating a new facility, building on its mission to support:

– Advancement of music performance
– Creativity and scholarship
– A transformative effect on the community through engagement and outreach
– Enrichment with a vibrant, innovative and brilliant cultural offering

H3 was enlisted to take on the new design, placing importance on performance quality, flexibility, and community engagement. The new program includes developing new performances spaces, a green room, ancillary spaces, storage rooms, additional rehearsal rooms, a state-of-the-art sound recording control booth, and a 2,500-sq-ft ensemble hall.

The concept design includes creating a prominent, cantilevered structure sited on a sliver of space at the edge of Lake Osceola. A large transparent glass lobby maximizes the site’s vantage point, setting the stage with a picturesque backdrop. With a covered patio facing the lake, the building takes advantage of large outdoor space on its opposite side, where visitors can view outdoor projections on the building’s facade.

With a design to carry through opportunities for innovation and an inspiring venue for students, the project sets it sights on completion in 2022.

CLIENT: University of Miami
COMPLETION: 2023
SIZE: 25,435 square feet
COST: $26.5 million