All Aboard Florida is the only privately owned, operated, and financed project of its kind being developed in the United States today. All Aboard Florida’s 235-mile network of rail lines will connect South Florida to Central Florida by operating on the existing Florida East Coast (FEC) corridor and creating new tracks to Orlando. The unprecedented infrastructure project will provide a vital new service for Florida residents, business people, and visitors and will eliminate more than three million car trips from the region’s roadways each year.
SOM’s three stations — located in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach — will be key portals within All Aboard Florida’s rail system. Envisioned not only as gateways to their respective cities, but also as iconic destinations, the terminals will be filled with spaces to shop, eat, and meet. A common material palette, design aesthetic, and planning strategy unite the three facilities.
In downtown Miami, SOM has responded to a challenging and dense site by elevating the railways 50 feet in the air. Retail spaces will be vertically layered beneath the soaring tracks, and ample use of glass will give the station a shimmering, lightweight quality. This innovative solution allows thru-streets to remain open to traffic and for valuable streetfront real estate to remain leasable. Moreover, this bold architectural gesture creates a landmark terminal — a symbol of a 21st-century Miami.
