During this week we will develop an inventory of the most important themes that will illuminate the programming and architectural proposals of this studio.  We have grouped the themes into 5 categories.    The first two will be developed individually, the last three will be developed in groups of two students.  Each person will choose one of these themes.
Each one of the participants or groups will produce two copies of a report and a presentation by Tuesday next week.

REPORT : The report will be produced in 8 1/2" by 11" sheets of paper with Font Arial 10.  Uniformity of the reports is important because all the reports will be compiled and used by the rest of the class.  The reports will also serve as part of the final report of the class.  Each one of the reports should include a one to three pages summary with bullet points of the findings.  More pages explaining the themes should follow the summary and xeroxed material of the research should be included in an appendix.

PRESENTATION : Students will produce presentation material to explain their findings to the rest of the class during 20 minute presentation on Tuesday, Jan. 12th.  Slides, scanned images, power point, are acceptable.  We will have a video projector attached to a PC so you can do your presentation in digital format.  We will also have in the computer a slide show software that allows you to project JPG images (the order of the digital slide show follows the name of the JPG image , the order should be the following: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05...10, 11, and so on, note that you have to add a zero to the first nine digits otherwise it will jump from 1 to 10, 11...2, 20, 21, 22 etc...)

THEME 1 : ECONOMIC AND VISION TRENDS IN MIAMI (1 Person)
Employment and economic trends in Miami-Dade Metropolitan Area.
By using this data one can determinate the major emphasis of the economy by employment sector and understand the future of Miami welfare and its global relations.  Fast-growing sectors should be identified and analyzed to determinate reasons and impact on the future of the economy in the region and site we study
 - Data can be found in :
 U.S. Census of Population
 State Employment Security (job service) departments.
Greater Miami chamber of commerce: 1998 GROSS COUNTY PRODUCT REPORT. This assessment of Greater Miami’s gross county product provides an abundance of economic information for Miami-Dade County, including growth trends, major industry categories and personal income. Members: free; non-members: $10.65. By mail, add $2.
The US Bureau of Census makes most recent census data (1990) available in form of maps that can be downloaded. Maps usually show street grid, water bodies and parks, and can be generated for every location in the US.  http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/gazetteer.
NOTE: when you use thematic maps click on Label: Block Groups.

Visions of Miami in the 21st Century.
- Data can be found in :
Greater Miami chamber of commerce: ONE COMMUNITY ONE GOAL (OCOG) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND INDUSTRIES BLUEPRINT. These reports provide a comprehensive overview of OCOG, Greater Miami’s job-creation initiative. They also detail the findings of OCOG’s first three industry task forces, Biomedical, Film & Entertainment and International Commerce, plus its Education Task Force. These reports are free and available at the Chamber.

THEME 2 : POPULATION (1 Person)
Resident and Tourist population Inventory.
Population inventory are useful in assessing the need for facilities and activities in the region analyzed. The study should include estimate in age distribution, ethnicity, and income distribution.
The study should find the current and forecast population that surrounds the site in the following categories:
         Resident Population
              Primary Market (0-10 miles)
              Secondary Market (10-20 miles)
              Tertiary Market (20-40 miles)

         Overnight Population
              Miami Beach Convention & Tourism
              Miami Dade County

- Data can be found in : U.S. Census of Population and are available by metropolitan area, county and city; Current population estimates can be obtained from census information, planning commission, state agencies and public utilities.
- Data can also be found in US Bureau of census web site:
http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/gazetteer
The US Bureau of Census makes most recent census data (1990) available in form of maps that can be downloaded. Maps usually show street grid, water bodies and parks, and can be generated for every location in the US. In addition, upon entering further specifications, maps will display ethnicity, population density, income, etc. Ideal for documenting social boundaries or composition of any given neighborhood.

THEME 3 : SITE INVENTORY & AUTOCAD DRAWINGS OF SITE (2 People).

Maps of project area (older and the most recent).
Available through local planning departments or GeoPhysics Library on campus.
Sanborn Maps.  Sanborn maps are fire insurance maps that were produced for every major American city since the late 19th century. Usually showing one or two blocks, they contain very detailed information on every building: use, size, height, construction.  Although they are drawn to a certain scale, they are not as accurate as USGS maps. Ideal for detailed investigation of changing block patterns, building use, etc.  Older documents (1900 - 1950) are usually available at local public libraries, either on microfilm or in folios. Recent publications (updated every two to four years) are available at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC, or maybe at local planning departments.
Aerial photographs.
Available through local planning departments or GeoPhysics Library on campus. Recently, aerial images have been made available by Microsoft. This server is searchable, and allows you to take screen shots:  http://terraserver.microsoft.com
History of public spaces and urban structures of Miami Beach.
Available in books and guides of Miami Beach.  Sanborn maps described above are also a good source for understanding the development of the site.
Transportation
Inventory of existing and proposed access roads and public transportation projects serving the area.  Inventory of traffic and parking conditions.
Many of the data needed for developing the topics bellow are available through local planning departments.
Building Permits
This information details authorized construction permits and contract
Data can be found in : Local planning department, Housing Authorized by Building Permits and public contracts (Series C-40) is published monthly and annually by the Federal Government.
City Code
Inventory of city codes.  Develop a 3D-CAD map of the maximum allowable volumes to be constructed in the area (develop 3D volume on the computers such as the one developed by Hugh Ferris in the first half of this century for N.Y.).
Improvements
Inventory of proposed real estate improvements in the area of interest in the studio: new library, new dance school, hotels and condominiums in construction.
Land Prices
Inventory of land prices in the area studied.  If information is difficult to obtain do a rough estimate from data obtained in newspaper or other media.
AutoCAD Drawing
This group will be responsible for obtaining and/or developing the 2-D digital model of the site (it should include streets and floor plates of buildings.

THEME 4 : COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS : RETAIL & ENTERTAINMENT (2 People)

Inventory of existing retail and entertainment facilities that will compete with similar proposals in our site.  Usually this is done by developing location plans, floor plans, and tables describing the nature and size of rival complexes.

Convention Center, Lincon Road, Ocean Drive.
Location plans, floor plans if available, and table showing the name of store, rental rates, sales estimates, size (sq. ft.) and usage.  Research of future developments and .
Data available in magazines, City of Miami Beach, Miami Beach chamber of commerce : http://www.miamibeachchamber.com (The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, 1920 Meridian Av., Miami Beach, FL 33139).
Market conditions
Inventory of articles and figures regarding trends and current condition of retail and entertainment offer and demand in the City, County and National level.
Data available in : Articles may be found Miami Herald, Business Newspaper.  "The Monthly Retail Trade" report published by the Bureau of Census reports sales figures for most metropolitan areas (county and/or city) on a monthly and annual basis.
Current and future trends in retailing and entertainment.
Retail and entertainment has been one of the major forces in shaping American culture and cities in this century.  Retail and entertainment concepts developed in the US has been so successful in the past forty years that have rapidly achieved urban typologies as mature as the medieval Gothic cathedrals.  Today in the US there are 60,000 local and regional shopping malls where 10 percent of the labor of this country works.
This group will be in charge in developing an introduction to the current trends and typology rules in shopping and entertainment.
Data Available in : "Entertainment Drives Retail", D. Shillingburg, Architectural Record, August, 1994, p. 82-85.  "Entertainment Enhanced Retail: fuels new development", K. Himmel, Urban Land, Feb. 1998.  "Urban Entertainment Centers: Searching for Winning Formulas", J. Dobrian, Real Estate Forum, May 1998.  "Destination-Concept and Development" Tadashi Hirimoto.  "Time-Saver Standard for Building Types" McGraw-Hill Publishers.  "Shape of things to come : Retail Real Estate in the twenty-first Century" S. Roulac.

THEME 5 : COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS : HOUSING & HOTELS (2 People)
Inventory of existing housing, apartment, and hotel complexes that will compete with similar proposals in our site.  Usually this is done by developing location plans, floor plans, and tables describing the nature and size of rival complexes.
Condominiums /apartment/Hotel buildings
Location plan, floor plans, and report explaining the market of new construction of large apartment/hotel facilities in the area of Miami Beach.  The report should provide a clear understanding of the offer of apartment and hotels : size, sale price, construction costs, occupancy rate in hotels, contemporary floor plan layouts.
History of the development of the condominium and Hotel High rise
Market conditions
Inventory of articles and figures regarding trends and current condition of hotels, seasonal housing at the City, County and National level.
Data available in : Articles may be found Miami Herald, Business Newspaper, search the ABI index at the business library.  "The Monthly Retail Trade" report published by the Bureau of Census reports sales figures for most metropolitan areas (county and/or city) on a monthly and annual basis.
Current and future trends in hotel and condominium development.
Miami has had a history of real estate development in this types of urban typology.  You will be asked to develop an introduction of this kind of urban typology, please put special attention on how it has evolved in the past decades and where it is expected to develop in the near future.