Virgin Voyages selects Arquitectonica to design Flagship Terminal at PortMiami

Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group founder, and Virgin Voyages President and CEO Tom McAlpin were on hand to unveil Arquitectonica’s Palm Grove inspired design for Virgin’s new terminal at PortMiami. The new 100,000 SF terminal draws inspiration from when coconut groves lined Miami Beach.

The palm grove design is inspired by Miami Beach’s iconic palm trees and the island’s historical origins as an area intended for harvesting coconuts. The sand banks that define Biscayne Bay were first settled by gentlemen farmers who developed them as palm tree groves. These mythical groves provided a canopy that shaded the beaches yet filtered light into the monumental spaces they created. Their twisting trunks added a sculptural field of columns.

The Flagship cruise terminal for Virgin Voyages features a palm grove-inspired design that abstracts this idea into a series of monumental roofs. The roofs extend way past the edges of the glass pavilions that serve the terminal functions. The jagged edges of the roofs deconstruct the building edges. Gaps between the ‘palms’ filter natural light into the departure lounges and large outdoor terrace overlooking Biscayne Bay and the glorious downtown skyline of the city of Miami. The two-story stormproof glass facility will be replete with lush landscaping giving the terminal a plaza-like feel with designated areas for drop-offs of VIP’s, ride-sharing and provisioning, designed to provide a seamless shore to ship experience.

Virgin Voyages is environmentally conscience in all its endeavors and are targeting the terminal to be LEED Gold certified. Virgin’s first ship, Scarlet Lady, is scheduled to start sailing out of PortMiami in 2021.