Blog

Art & Real Estate: A Powerful Duo

Written By ArtBurst Team
June 22, 2020 at 3:52 PM

By Veronica Villegas, Kreps de Maria, originally published on ArtsBizBlog

Miami and its powerful Real Estate industry has been a game-changer for the Arts and our destination. I look forward to seeing what’s next for this power duo of Art & Real Estate. Everyone in the world now knows the importance of having a home they love to live in, especially if you have to quarantine in it for days. Art is the perfect addition to your home investment and it defines your sense of style, who you are and what you love. Look at what art has done to Miami as a destination, and our local communities: Wynwood, The Arts District, The Miami Design District, Miami Beach and its Art Deco Historic District and its architectural design that define the street scape of Ocean Drive. 

So what’s new and upcoming with the perfect coupling of Art & Real Estate? Alta Developers, an innovative real estate development firm led by Raimundo Onetto, has partnered Art with DNA as well as Arts Encounters to fulfill their vision to make Quadro, a 198-residential condominium, located in the Miami Design District the epitome of cultured living at the heart of this city’s trendsetting creative hub. One-of-a-kind artworks integrated throughout the resort-style complex now anchor a multifaceted series of experiential programs and walking tours tailored for residents and guests of these distinctive luxury condominiums.

A mutual focus on original expression, bold lines and fine details guided Alta Developers as it set out to make a substantial contribution that enhances the location’s signature features. Creative synergies have shaped the concept and contours of Quadro from the primary partnership between Alta Developers and Francisco Del Rio of Art with DNA, the lead architect and artist who embedded 542 site-specific pieces throughout the premises. His installations are an ode to South Florida’s seashore, taking inspiration from the cascading waves, vivid marine life and coastal flora within reach. The main entry point makes a breathtaking first impression, welcoming residents and guests into the valet area landscaped with a lush living wall and canopy of gold-toned sculptures suspended from the porte cochère – hundreds of steel mobiles that spin as wind wafts through the breezeway, evoking the luminous movements in a school of fish. The lobby’s dramatic blue columns lead to more layers of art, each floor marked with a three-dimensional composition Del Rio painted to play up distinct color schemes representing levels of the ocean and the myriad vibrant organisms inhabiting deep waters pierced by sun-rays or shaded by moonlight.

Headquartered in Chile, Art with DNA specializes in creating installations that reflect the identity of a property and its neighboring environment. Over more than a decade, Del Rio has become well-known for working with a wide range of architects, interior designers and real estate developers to infuse artwork into the fabric of award-winning office spaces and residential projects across the globe. “I came to develop an artistic interpretation of everything you find in the ocean while developing the building’s identity, making it truly unique so that it stands out from every other building in South Florida,” said Francisco Del Rio, CEO and Founder of Art with DNA. “The goal was also to create a continuous artistic experience for residents and visitors, providing harmony throughout the entire building.”

Expanding upon that aesthetic foundation, Alta Developers’ latest collaboration with Arts Encounters elevates cultural exposure for residents and guests of Quadro and the Design District with dynamic programming curated by the esteemed art critic, journalist and educator Margery Gordon. The centerpiece, a fresh series of interactive walks called Art in Motion, will showcase installations onsite plus highlights from the popular public art tours Gordon developed with the district over the last two and a half years. Launching this summer and continuing monthly, the complimentary outings from Quadro will observe social distancing guidelines among intimate groups while exploring open spaces, outdoor sculptures and murals. Arts Encounters will also arrange exclusive visits to nearby collections, museums and exhibitions when conditions permit, customizing private excursions upon request. In the meantime, a virtual tour is in the works, slated for release in June on IGTV and Facebook.

Quadro will be the starting point for Art in Motion and the picturesque setting for special events on its airy amenities deck, where Arts Encounters will present poolside talks and salons in the club room that reveal the creative process of artists and designers like Francisco Del Rio. Exhibitions of contemporary work originating in South Florida will be curated by Gordon, with private cocktail receptions hosted by Quadro inviting residents and neighbors in the Design District to meet the artists and active members of Miami’s exciting art scene. “It’s a privilege to connect people with the cultural community that has inspired my lifelong involvement with visual art and design. The tours and discussions I’ve been leading for ten years are opportunities to share regional discoveries as well as insights gleaned from decades of reporting on the art world,” said Margery Gordon, the Founding Director and Principal Guide of Arts Encounters. “Our programming at Quadro will immerse new audiences in the cutting-edge art and eclectic architecture that make the Design District such a stimulating place to be.”

The Design District is home to numerous galleries, prestigious private collections, and large-scale works by world-renowned contemporary artists nestled amid the lavishly appointed boutiques of the top international fashion houses, including Fendi, BVLGARI, Balenciaga, among others.

With art pop ups, and galleries and venues reopening, I’m certain everyone is eager to get out. Here in Miami, we get to enjoy it all, walks outside, the sun, the streets lined with palm trees and transcending ART throughout our dynamic neighborhoods. We sure are lucky!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Veronica Villegas Baldwin is Vice President of Kreps DeMaria and has been a public relations professional for 20 years. Her specialties in public relations and marketing in North America (including the U.S. Hispanic market) are in Corporate, Hospitality, Tourism, Real Estate, Education and Community Outreach. Though her tenure has been in the corporat e PR world, her passion for the arts begins with her family roots. Veronica comes from a family of artists and from grade school attended a number of magnet art programs including Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School, DASH, as well New World School of the Arts. With her pulse in the corporate world, combined with her insight and love for the arts provides a deep understanding on how these two very distinctly different worlds can fuse to grow into fulfilling and meaningful collaborations. Veronica has h er roots in Medellin, Colombia and is fluent in both Spanish and English. Veronica is a graduate of the University of Miami with degrees in Political Science and Public Relations and has a minor in Pre-law studies.

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