Robins’ undergraduate years, not surprisingly, were a mix of business and creative writing classes. A summer program in Madrid and a junior year in Barcelona “is what got me interested in art,” he says. “I spent a lot of time in museums, and I was especially inspired by Goya.” After he graduated, however, Robins didn’t feel equipped to start in business. “I thought it was a better solution to continue with my education,” he says. The answer was law school. “I loved the whole experience, and I learned a lot about business and how transactions were done. Later, South Beach was the perfect place for me to work. It merged my appreciation for art with my desire to enter the business world. The legal terminology applied to transacting business was the core of my legal education. Buying an art deco building in South Beach was as much about collecting sculpture as it was developing real estate.”
Craig Robins, JD ’87 Of course, the Palleys haven’t stopped collecting. “Our house is just as crowded as when the Pavillion opened, maybe more, because we continue to buy,” says Palley. “Today we’re leaning more toward younger, emerging artists who have something new to say. These people are coming out of the universities with degrees in fine arts and serving apprenticeships with established artists before they go on their own. It’s different, and we find it very exciting. We just hope they stay with it and continue to grow.”
Craig Robins, JD ’87 COMMUNITY CURATOR “To me it’s about creativity, not the medium, and supporting the creativity of our times.”
Robins started Dacra with the guidance of his father, David (“my most important mentor”), after graduating from law school. The company name is an acronym for “David and Craig.” — “although my father likes to say it stands for ‘Dad and Craig.’” Under the Dacra umbrella is a family of companies and organizations: Dacra Realty, the real estate development arm; Bridge House Hotels, a hospitality and events services company; Bridge Studio, a visual marketing and branding firm; Bridge House Publishing, a finearts book publisher; the Craig Robins Collection; his personal art collection; and the Anaphiel Foundation, a non-profit public charity supporting art projects. Dacra initially focused on the revitalization of South Beach, then developed mixed-use projects on Lincoln Road and Espanola Way. In 1999 the company acquired 8.5 acres on the southern tip of Allison Island and developed AQUA, a New Urbanist community blending modern architecture, design and site-specific public art. Dacra also spent the last 15 years revitalizing the Miami Design District from a once-abandoned neighborhood to a bustling area of cutting-edge art, design, food and fashion. Robins has now taken the company global and is pursuing opportunities in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, with an initial focus on the Chinese and Russian markets.
We all know what a curator does for a museum or art collection, but who talks about “curating” a city neighborhood? Answer: Craig Robins. He defines the word in its broadest possible sense and, as chairman and CEO of Dacra — a real estate development company that mixes architecture, art, design and cultural programming — works to transform staid communities into energetic international destinations.
But nothing can be written about Robins without mentioning his role in bringing Art Basel to Miami and his creation of Design Miami/, the leading international design show. “Miami is now seen as a cultural city of substance,” says Robins. “Art Basel gave us the chance to showcase our community on an international platform.
If Robins, JD ’87, doesn’t sound like your typical developer, he’s not. “I bought my first building because it had an art studio in it,” he says with a laugh. “I was more interested in giving space to artists than I was in the building.” When he was growing up in Miami, Robins’ parents liked art, but they weren’t collectors. For a couple of years, however, an artist was a tenant in their home. “He taught me to draw,” says Robins. “I like to draw and can at least engage in the process.”
“What interests me,” continues Robins, “is creative expression. Art, architecture and design are the linchpins in what makes a neighborhood interesting to live in. It’s the same with events — it’s all part of being engaged in my community. My personal art collection tends to be international and connected in the sense that each purchase becomes part of a process in defining the future direction of the collection and subsequently, the next purchase. To me, it’s about creativity, not the medium, and I collect hoping to support the creativity of our times.”
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