Made in the Miami Shade

Recipient of a Tripadvisor 2021 Travelers’ Choice award, the downtown Novotel Miami Brickell hotel features spacious suites and upscale leisure amenities.

BHDM Design was recently brought in to reimagine the lobby, lobby bar, retail space, lounge, and rooftop, using the city’s sun, sand, and surf as its guide. For the rooftop bar on the hotel’s 12th floor, the architect was in search of a shading solution to provide protection from the hot Miami sun and blend into the lounge’s tropical, blush-infused aesthetic.

“To align with the bar’s tone and caliber, we turned to Serge Ferrari Group and their Flexlight Perform 502S2 material to create custom-colored awnings over the space,” states Dan Mazzarini, principal and creative director, BHDM Design, New York. “Creating a fun and beautiful environment was the most essential goal for the project. With a vast array of patterns and finishes, we were able to find a customizable, waterproof fabric that perfectly fit into this space.”

Flexlight is a highly durable, long-lasting and lightweight material which offers a very high level of translucency. The fabric’s superpower lies in stretching the woven yarns taut in both the warp and weft directions prior to coating.

“With most fabrics, the yarns are stretched taut in only one direction, while the opposite direction is loosely woven over and under,” explains Elfriede Willson, marketing and communication manager, Serge Ferrari North America. “When this kind of fabric is coated, some yarns near the coating surface become vulnerable points to abrasion, UV degradation and water penetration. Once the coating is abraded, enabling water and dirt to reach the yarns, the fabric can never again be restored to its original look or protection.”

Serge Ferrari Precontraint technology, where the yarn is stretched taut in both directions, creates a very flat base cloth which can be evenly coated for maximized protection. Without the need for additional coating, this creates a lighter weight, stronger, and more flexible fabric. “Precontraint makes Serge Ferrari fabrics more dimensionally stable, minimizing the potential the fabric will stretch out over time and use,” adds Wilson. “The smooth, ultra-white surface also makes for a perfect print medium, for excellent color rendering and retention.”

The GreenGuard Gold certified product also incorporates an Air Tension System for perfectly taut fabrics and is well suited for clear span tents and high-end structures.

Relaxing at the bar next to the pool overlooking the Miami skyline, Novotel patrons can enjoy signature cocktails in the shade, thanks to the awning.