Una Residences Wins CIB of NYC Out of Area Award

Una Residences, the 2026 Roger H. Corbetta Out of Area award winner from the Concrete Industry Board of New York, rises 47 stories on a tight waterfront site on Miami’s Biscayne Bay.

The three-level below-grade substructure—one of the deepest basements in the region—drove early design decisions—given the high groundwater environment subject to significant hydrostatic uplift and lateral pressure. Our structural design addressed these pressures by thickening slabs, using extensive cross-lot bracing to maintain stability during excavation, and carefully sequencing construction.

A defining challenge stemmed from bringing together the parking and residential layouts, as typical column locations required for parking circulation did not align with the residential layout above. To create a seamless transition between both programs, we introduced “walking” perimeter columns, with some incorporating kinks of up to approximately 25 degrees. These columns carry combined gravity and lateral forces, creating complex, multi-directional load paths achieved through advanced structural analysis and precise detailing.

The visually dramatic, load-bearing cantilever system—one of Una’s most distinctive features and structural design challenges—gradually extends the structure’s floor plates up to 33 feet beyond the tower’s footprint to create larger apartments and maximize views at higher levels.

Managing Principal Luis Ramirez, PE, and Associate Marc Samuel, SE, led the DeSimone structural engineering team.

The award will be presented at the Annual Roger H. Corbetta Awards on October 28, 2026. Find more information here.

Developer: Oko Group Architect: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture and Revuelta MEP: HNGS Consulting Engineers Civil: VSN Engineering Inc General Contractor: Civic Construction and Ant Yappi