Miami Midtown 8 Tower

BUILD

The Yard 8 luxury apartment complex in Miami, Florida, features a striking parking garage facade that blends visual sophistication with engineering efficiency. As part of the development’s design strategy, the project team sought a facade solution that would not only complement the upscale aesthetic of the building but also address practical concerns such as solar protection, ventilation, and cost. Structurflex delivered a comprehensive solution through its FlexFacades cladding system, custom-designed to meet the unique demands of the project.

Spanning approximately3,252 square meters (35,000 square feet), the facade system includes tensile mesh panels supported by structural steel standoffs and aluminum extrusions. The material used—Type 1A Ventilated PES—offers 34% open area, ensuring adequate passive airflow throughout the garage and eliminating the need for mechanical ventilation. This natural ventilation approach enhances sustainability and simplifies building operations. Additionally, the mesh provides critical protection from Miami’s intense heat and sunlight, helping to reduce solar gain within the structure.

A standout feature of the design is the use of multiple mesh colors, carefully selected to reflect the architect’s vision and create visual texture across the facade. This creative use of color transforms a functional parking structure into a dynamic architectural element, contributing to the building’s identity and enhancing the pedestrian experience at street level.

Beyond its design and environmental benefits, the FlexFacades system offered substantial cost savings. By choosing tensile mesh over painted perforated metal, the project saved approximately $1.3 million USD (approx $2.18 million NZD), positioning the system as a highly effective value-engineering solution. The Yard 8 garage facade exemplifies how performance, aesthetics, and economics can come together to produce a high-impact architectural feature that elevates both form and function.