IN ARCHES, THE DESIGN CALLED FOR A LIBRARY ON A PIECE OF LAND THAT WAS BUILT UP IN THE INTERSTICIAL SPACE BETWEEN MIAMI BEACH AND THE MAINLAND AREA OF MIAMI. THE AREA IS KNOWN AS NORTH BAY VILLIAGE. NOT ONLY WAS THERE SUPPOSED TO BE A LIBRARY, BUT AS AN ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT, A LANDSCAPE NEEDED TO BE DESIGNED LEADING DOWN TO THE WATER. A DESIGN REMANICENT OF FLORIDAS NATURAL ECOSYSTEM WAS CREATED STARTING WITH HIGH LAND VEGITATION TYPES AND FADING INTO COSTAL AND MARINE PLANT TYPES WHILE THE SITE TERRACES DOWN TO THE WATER. ON THE STREET EDGE THE LIBRARY TOOK STRUCTURAL INSPIRATION FROM GAUDI AND HIS PROCESS OF CREATING ARCHES. THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE WAS SUSSPENDED FROM THE ARCHES THAT WERE CREATED. BETWEEN THE ARCHES IS A LOUVER SYSTEM THAT CHANGES ITS ORIENTATION BASED ON RELITAVE LOCATION TO THE SUN, THIS PROVIDED THE OPTIMAL SOLAR PROTECTION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
