FUTURE APPEAL

Some years back, I recall reading a New York Times article that called Miami “America’s city of the future,” citing its prime location, growing real estate, art world status, and a slew of other positives.

Last year, the Financial Times Magazine took its turn and deemed Miami the “most important city in America” with a feature chockfull of positive quotes about everything from the growing tech sector to our overall optimism.

Of course, those of us who live here don’t need the media to tell us all that. We see this metamorphosis on a daily basis. Growth that garners the aforementioned headlines comes with its own set of problems, but I’m not here to dwell on the negative. Because growth like that is also a harbinger for good things to come in the local design scene.

For this New, Now, Next issue, we decided to highlight the creative minds who are elevating the city’s design status through novel projects that touch on neighborhood zoning, art and culture, product innovation, architecture, and landscape design. When I took on the story, I had no idea what an education it would be. As far as the individuals we chose to feature, you’ve probably heard about bold-face names like Craig Robins and his efforts in the Design District or Ximena Caminos and her plans for an underwater art park that also serves as a snorkel trail and a barrier reef (a sentence I never envisioned writing), but we also bring you perhaps lesser-known names whose endeavors are just as worthy of praise. Among these are Laurinda Spear and Margarita Blanco, who spearhead cutting-edge, eco-conscious practices in landscape design at ArquitectonicaGEO; carpenter and designer James Quinaz, who’s making a name for himself as sustainable design’s most in-demand furniture-maker; product designer Luis Pons, who uses his studio as a lab for things that make our lives easier, safer, and prettier; and architect Rene Gonzalez, whose latest projects are part of the reason Miami ends up in the types of articles I mention above. I hope you like reading their stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.

While that article focuses on the next, the rest of this edition is all about the new and now. Our home features highlight the work of designers who are forward-thinking even when tackling a historic property. Our product roundups in Details zoom in on the latest and greatest in decor. And our FD Asks department shares intel on the trends that are likely to dominate our industry in 2023. How’s all that for futuristic?

Enjoy the issue.

LUIS R. RIGUAL Editor-in-Chief lrigual@floridadesign.com