The FEC has hired the most blue chip of blue chip architecture firms imaginable as the Lead Architect and Planner of its new "All Aboard Florida" passenger stations, including the "grand destination" they plan for downtown Miami: Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill, or SOM for short. It's a safe bet, maybe a slightly bland choice, but over-all a very good one. SOM's designed just about everything, including the tallest building in the world (the Burj Khalifa), NY's Freedom Tower, humungous train stations, and airports. Their stations include Moynihan Station, also in New York, and Tianjin High Speed Rail Station, pictured above.
The local Associate Architects are Zyscovich, a fair enough choice. Their master plans, including Midtown Miami, are a sort of watered-down New Urbanism with a more contemporary look. Notably, ol' Bernard Zyscovich himself was against Miami 21. But they've probably been hired mainly for the benefit of their prior experience working along the FEC route (of which they have lots) and because they're actually based in Miami, unlike SOM. Worthy associates indeed.
· All Aboard Florida
· Mixed Use Downtown Miami Rail Station [exMiami]
· FEC/All Aboard Florida coverage [Curbed]