Perhaps no other residential high-rise has created more buzz than the highly-anticipated Porsche Design Tower in Sunny Isles, Florida. A collaboration between Dezer Development and the Porsche Design Group, the 60-story, 132-residence luxury tower designed by Sieger Suarez Architects promises to deliver a new standard of cool.
Porsche Design Tower features a unique, first-of-its kind amenity that allows residents of this 60-story luxury residential project to park their cars in glass-walled sky garages adjacent to their units. The residents will ride their car into one of three Dezervators, a patented, fully-automated glass elevator designed by Gil Dezer and his team of engineers. They will remain in their car securely and enjoy oceanfront views as they ascend to their unit. At that point, their vehicle is shuttled to a glass enclosed carport adjacent to their residence. This allows them to leisurely unload their groceries or shopping items.
Glazing is predominantly used in several areas as a priority was placed on clear views and transparency in the building’s overall design – including applications where fire rating requirements are mandated in the building code.
In Section 713 of the IBC, shaft enclosures are required to have a minimum fire-resistance rating of not less than two hours when connecting four stories or more, which was the case for Porsche Design Tower. To meet code requirements and ensure that the ocean views were available, SAFTI FIRST supplied SuperLite II-XL 120 with GPX Curtain Wall Framing for the 2-hour segmented wall starting from the lobby.
In Section 406 of the IBC, a one hour separation is required between a parking garage and dwelling unit. However, since the sky garages for each unit are connected to the 2-hour elevator shaft, the separation between the garage and the living space must follow the more stringent 2-hour fire resistive requirement. To meet code and enable residents to view their cars from their living room, SAFTI FIRST supplied SuperLite II-XL 120 in GPX Architectural Series Framing for all of the units.
To meet code and enable residents to view their cars from their living room, SAFTI FIRST supplied SuperLite II-XL 120 in GPX Architectural Series Framing for all of the units. Renderings courtesy of Metrostudio.com.
SuperLite II-XL 120 has the largest tested and listed clear view area for any 2-hour fire resistive glazing product in the industry with 4,876 sq. inches. This was an important feature that allowed the architects to use more glass and less framing, especially with individual glass lites requiring clear views up to 4,674 sq. inches each. The GPX Curtain Wall and Architectural Series framing systems were supplied with a PPG Kynar Steel City Silver finish to match the adjacent non-rated systems. Durable and structurally sound, its sharp, clean edges and uniform sightlines enhanced the building’s sleek design. The GPX Curtain Wall and Architectural Series framing systems can supplied either knocked-down, assembled or unitized depending on the project’s needs and job site conditions.
SAFTI FIRST’s sales, engineering and project management teams were in close contact with the architect, general contractor and glazier throughout the entire process to ensure everything was delivered on time and within budget. SAFTI FIRST also sent a team from its manufacturing facility in Merced, CA to train and assist the glaziers in the field as they installed the fire rated glass and framing systems.
“When Porsche teamed up with a high-caliber developer like Dezer Development and an award-winning design firm like Sieger Suarez Architects, the creative process sizzled,” says Tim Nass, VP of National Sales at SAFTI FIRST. “We were fortunate to be part of a world-class construction team that has erected this iconic, water front tower admired across South Florida. Continental Glass Systems is an excellent, highly skilled partner and Coastal Construction Group ran an efficient site in very close quarters. It was a pleasure to be a part of this project.”
Construction is in the final stages for the Porsche Design Tower, and it is scheduled to welcome residents in 2016.
Related Stories
MFPRO+ New Projects | Mar 18, 2024
Luxury apartments in New York restore and renovate a century-old residential building
COOKFOX Architects has completed a luxury apartment building at 378 West End Avenue in New York City. The project restored and renovated the original residence built in 1915, while extending a new structure east on West 78th Street.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 18, 2024
YWCA building in Boston’s Back Bay converted into 210 affordable rental apartments
Renovation of YWCA at 140 Clarendon Street will serve 111 previously unhoused families and individuals.
Adaptive Reuse | Mar 15, 2024
San Francisco voters approve tax break for office-to-residential conversions
San Francisco voters recently approved a ballot measure to offer tax breaks to developers who convert commercial buildings to residential use. The tax break applies to conversions of up to 5 million sf of commercial space through 2030.
Apartments | Mar 13, 2024
A landscaped canyon runs through this luxury apartment development in Denver
Set to open in April, One River North is a 16-story, 187-unit luxury apartment building with private, open-air terraces located in Denver’s RiNo arts district. Biophilic design plays a central role throughout the building, allowing residents to connect with nature and providing a distinctive living experience.
Affordable Housing | Mar 12, 2024
An all-electric affordable housing project in Southern California offers 48 apartments plus community spaces
In Santa Monica, Calif., Brunson Terrace is an all-electric, 100% affordable housing project that’s over eight times more energy efficient than similar buildings, according to architect Brooks + Scarpa. Located across the street from Santa Monica College, the net zero building has been certified LEED Platinum.
MFPRO+ News | Mar 12, 2024
Multifamily housing starts and permitting activity drop 10% year-over-year
The past year saw over 1.4 million new homes added to the national housing inventory. Despite the 4% growth in units, both the number of new homes under construction and the number of permits dropped year-over-year.
Affordable Housing | Mar 11, 2024
Los Angeles’s streamlined approval policies leading to boom in affordable housing plans
Since December 2022, Los Angeles’s planning department has received plans for more than 13,770 affordable units. The number of units put in the approval pipeline in roughly one year is just below the total number of affordable units approved in Los Angeles in 2020, 2021, and 2022 combined.
MFPRO+ Research | Mar 6, 2024
Top 10 trends in senior living facilities for 2024
The 65-and-over population is growing faster than any other age group. Architects, engineers, and contractors are coming up with creative senior housing solutions to better serve this burgeoning cohort.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 4, 2024
Single-family rentals continue to grow in BTR communities
Single-family rentals are continuing to grow in built-to-rent communities. Both rent and occupancy growth have been strong in recent months while remaining a financially viable option for renters.
MFPRO+ News | Mar 2, 2024
Job gains boost Yardi Matrix National Rent Forecast for 2024
Multifamily asking rents broke the five-month streak of sequential average declines in January, rising 0.07 percent, shows a new special report from Yardi Matrix.