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The New World Symphony Campus Expansion is Frank Gehry’s first commission in Florida and has already attracted much global attention from architecture, art, and music aficionados alike.

Our firm was selected to design the rooftop garden and linking landscapes for the 100,641 square-foot campus expansion.  From inside the Gehry structure, one can look up through its six-story atrium and see green canopies from the 7,950 square foot rooftop garden.  More of Raymond’s initial emphasis was spent on refining the rooftop design, of which he worked with Gehry Partners’ Craig Webb on numerous quick schemes to study ways to provide shade and seating.  Through these studies, the design shifted to more of a planted garden than a hardscape garden, where a trellis and flowering vines were first proposed.  As a result, substantial planters were built into the structure early on.  These planters were designed to carry the load of mature Gumbo Limbos and specimen Clusia Rosea trees.  The architecture allows people to explore, create and communicate inside Gehry’s musical creation, whereas the rooftop landscape will provide shade and create opportunities for outdoor education, musical performances and receptions.

Gehry Partners first contacted Raymond during a major design change for the building.  The initial scheme was thought to be too expensive.  A kickoff meeting in Los Angeles, California in 2006 initiated the fruitful exchange of drawings to prepare fees and exchange ideas.  Seeing the preliminary models of the campus grounds during this conceptual charrette, Raymond was prompted to design with shade in mind.  Shade needed to be enhanced along all of the peripheral areas linking to Lincoln Road, the convention center and around the site itself.  Raymond designed native plantings of specimen Live Oaks on every side, chosen for their longevity and shade.  The streets surrounding the campus are now balanced with canopy trees on both sides, creating corridors versus one-sided landscapes.

Raymond brings informality to the urban core, using trees that are not matched or uniform, but, trees that are multi-stemmed, more natural, wild looking, more conducive to relaxation and habitat creation.  Simplistic hardscape elements flow seamlessly, unifying the entire campus.