2022 Merit Award
The Underline’s Brickell Backyard
Miami, Florida
Landscape Architect:
James Corner Field Operations
Project Team:
Client: Friends of The Underline, Miami-Dade County
Civil & Traffic Engineering: Kimley-Horn
Lighting Design: HLB Lighting
Identity & Wayfinding: Order
Horticultural Soils: James Urban
Structural Engineering: Optimus Structural Design, LLC
Electrical Engineering: H. Vidal & Associates
Cost Estimating: CMS, Inc.
Horticultural Advisor: Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Miami-Dade County Contractor: Central Pedrail

About the Project:
Brickell Backyard transforms the space underneath Miami’s elevated Metrorail into a lush linear park in one of Miami’s densest areas. As The Underline’s first built section, Brickell Backyard sets the tone for future phases of the 10-mile-long corridor with native gardens, improved pedestrian and bicycle pathways, and various active, passive, and cultural programs and public art.
The Underline represents a new form of public space, leveraging existing infrastructure and pairing new natural habitats with multimodal paths that link directly to public transit. Reimagining what was once perceived as divisive infrastructure into an inclusive connector, The Underline fosters community by providing an urban backyard that complements the neighborhood’s diverse character and represents a pivot in the city’s approach to public space.
Photo Credit: Robin Hill