Building in the Caribbean, Latin America and the Tropical World
Miami’s location is a starting point for examining relevant issues of Tropical Architecture, and the study of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Located on the periphery of the Caribbean Basin, in a sub-tropical region at the intersection of diverse cultural and ecological regions, UMSoA has long been engaged in the investigation of environment, regional identity and vernacular traditions. More recently, Miami’s accelerated urban and cultural transformation has brought pan-Americanism and issues associated with "the tropical" into a new geographic and conceptual focus.
Ongoing Projects and Resources:
Cuban Heritage Collection. The University of Miami’s Cuban Heritage Collection collects, preserves, and provides access to primary and secondary sources of enduring historical, research, and artifactual value which relate to Cuba and the Cuban diaspora from colonial times to the present. The Collection supports the teaching, learning, and research needs of the University of Miami and the broader scholarly community.
East‐West Dialogues: Modernism in Florida. Initiated in 2013 with a grant from Deering-Danielson Foundation, the project has explored the history and legacy of Modernism in Florida through two symposia and an on-going publication project.
Under the Sun. Funded by the NSF, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Kellogg and Barr grants, Under the Sun produced an eponymous symposium and publication, and is the basis for on-going research into the role of the vernacular in discussion of sustainability.
