Virdi Architects & Associates

River Front Plaza
[ Fort Lauderdale, Florida ]

Chamber of commerce of Fort Lauderdale wanted to have a new office building with public open spaces for arts and crafts shows, music concert and performances for lunch time entertainment. The one block site has Las Olas Boulevard on the north, S.E. 1st Ave on the east, South Andrews Avenue bridge over New River on the west; a narrow city park on the north bank of the New River on the south. Large boats cruise along the New River. The program called for administrative offices; meeting rooms which can be combined together for larger gatherings. Conference rooms, Audio visual presentation room, a small kitchen, public restrooms, storage and a printing room. Public amenities to be included were a bar and restaurant, food court, open air amphitheater for 350- 400 persons, bazaar with arts and crafts stalls for exhibition and sales. The water table at the site was only 2’ below the ground level so the office building was raised on stilts with public function on the ground level. Amphitheater seating were made of concrete and used as a landscape feature and water pools at the top seat level with vertical water falls to the reflection pool at the ground level. Wooden stage was surrounded by the reflection pool and the backdrop of water falls.

People could enjoy the water feature, watch the performance or the boats go by the river. The landscape was softened by the use of native plans, sculptures, reflection pools and water features.

It was a national design competition.

*Principal Architect: Jit Virdi, AIA.