DawnTown is the annual public international architecture ideas competition for Downtown Miami.  DawnTown’s mission is to bring innovative architecture to Downtown Miami, and to tell the exciting urban story of Downtown Miami to the world.

Kai van Hasselt, Neisen Kasdin, and Andrew Frey

DawnTown began in 2007 with a conversation in a bar in Shanghai among three friends intrigued by new developments in Downtown Miami: private and public sector jobs, massive residential investment, a unique waterfront, surprising public transportation, cruise port, American Airlines Arena, and new performing arts center.

They wondered if a single event could attract designers in Miami and around the world to learn about and experience this rich urban environment, and result in inspiring designs for Miami’s future.  Thus DawnTown was born, an annual architecture competition and award ceremony, and a platform for promoting Miami architecture news and events year ’round.