La Esfera

Created for a design competition, La Esfera was envisioned as an iconic architectural landmark for the City of Miami, and embodies the city’s energetic feeling of constant movement, reflected by its light, air, and water. La Esfera creates a functional civic space in three dimensions. Derived from the Ferris wheel, the sphere rises 450 feet into the sky and transports passengers in glass gondolas through the tubes that form the structure, providing a stunning observatory of Miami’s land and water. By night, La Esfera is lit by its own kinetic energy, rendered awash in varying colors and intensity based upon the degree of use. By day, a cloud of mist envelopes the interior, providing a cooling mist to nearby park users. Both elemental effects allow the landmark to be experienced simultaneously by riders and observers and to be a beacon from vantage points throughout the city and across the water from the beaches.