had Oppenheim is quickly establishing himself as one of the most forward-thinking and influential architects in Miami. Recent residential projects by Oppenheim Architecture and Design such as Cube and Ten Museum Park have created a lot of buzz and generated a goldmine of real estate revenue. His next project, if the proposal is accepted, will be College Station, a giant structure conceived as a gateway to Miami Dade College’s downtown Wolfson Campus.

With the proposal, Oppenheim continues to modify Miami’s overarching design aesthetic. For starters, nothing about the project suggests the past, a considerable departure in a city where even the garbage bins seem to be Art Deco. Rather than looking backwards to an earlier era of architecture, College Station takes a decidedly new and contemporary approach. After all, what better suits the current moment than an ambitious project that is entirely ‘green’? The entire design is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.

That’s no small feat in a project of this scope. If accepted, the 2 million square-foot building will house MDC’s schools of architecture and dance, an Olympic-size pool and meeting center, a museum, two theaters, a spa, a garden, offices, and 1,200 rental apartments and condos. Say what you want about him, but you can’t doubt Chad Oppenheim’s impressive ambition.

The intricate design has garnered many comparisons to Rem Koolhaas’s CCTV building in Beijing, but Oppenheim insists the inspiration actually comes from the banyan tree, a natural wonder with a merging roots structure strong enough to support a broad canopy at its peak. You can definitely see this in College Station, whose design consists of two interconnecting towers which amalgamate at the top. The idea is to maximize space by creating an airy openness in a relatively small diameter.

This allows for a vast 41,000 foot Quad (because, of course, no college campus is complete without a Quad). But in addition to students reading under trees and playing hackey sack, the quad will also contain open-air stores and cafés. It seems as though Oppenheim has not forgotten almighty commerce amidst his proposal for this institute of higher-learning.

But this is unsurprising when you appreciate that the project is designed not only with a mind towards students, but towards all of Miami’s residents. If created, the project will be unavoidable as a highlight of Miami’s skyline. The intent is not only educational, but also architectural. College Station demands to be noticed, and if’s built, you’ll notice it.