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The Faena Group, founded by Alan Faena, is an Argentinean company which specializes in the innovative development of luxury residences, hotels and art spaces. Its first project is the Faena District in Buenos Aires, and plans are currently underway for the development of a second Faena District in Miami Beach.

Faena District Buenos Aires
In 1897, Puerto Madero was a purely industrial and commercial area planned to meet the export needs of offshore freights, but within ten years the port was moved to the north, and the area was abandoned. In 1996, Faena sold his company and after 4 sabbatical years approached French designer Philippe Starck with a concept for the creation of a hospitality, residential and cultural complex in the abandoned docklands of Buenos Aires. This association secured the interest of New York-based business magnate Len Blavatnik, who became a partner in the development of the first “Faena District” neighborhood, now one of the most affluent neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Blavatnik is Faena’s partner for the upcoming Faena District in Miami. The master plan of the Faena District in Buenos Aires was to create the ideal city-within-a-city—complete with hospitality, residences and retail—and to cultivate rich cultural events and environments through high artistic and architectural design. Industry and culture, land and water, tradition and modernity make up the Faena microcosm in Puerto Madero. It is currently comprised of the Faena Hotel, the Faena Arts Center, and residential projects, including Portenia I, Portenia 2, Los Molinos and Faena Aleph Residences. Faena District Space Measurements:

TOTAL: 3,700,000 sq ft
 * Residential: 2,500,000 sq ft
 * Hospitality: 500,000 sq ft
 * Public: 350,000 sq ft
 * Cultural: 200,000 sq ft
 * Select Retail: 150,000 sq ft

Faena Hotel Buenos Aires
Faena Hotel is a five-star contemporary classic hotel that was transformed out of a century-old historic grain building on the abandoned docks of Buenos Aires. The historic seven-storey building designed by Philippe Stark overlooks Rio de la Plata and is situated next to an ecological reserve in the centre of Buenos Aires and in close proximity to the historic San Telmo neighbourhood. The interior design is the result of a close collaboration between Philippe Starck and Alan Faena and is one of Starck’s most classical projects making use of a wealth of high quality natural materials, including lapacho wood and arabasceto marble, in a style that echoes a re-birth of the Belle Époque. Facilities include a world-class spa, outdoor swimming pool, award-winning restaurants that serve local cuisine, a cabaret with one of the best tango shows in town and spacious rooms with views of Rio de la Plata on one side and the docks and city centre on the other.

Faena Arts Center
The Faena Arts Center, opened in September 2011, was created as a cultural center dedicated to exhibitions and site-specific works with a strong interdisciplinary focus. The center presents works by both international and local artist, playing host to world class programming of contemporary art, design, architecture, fashion, literature and new technologies. Located in the old engine room of the historic building, Los Molinos—a turn-of-the-century industrial architecture landmark, the center has over 4,000 m2.

Faena Aleph Residences
In October 2012, Faena Group announced the completion of the Faena Aleph Residences, Foster and Partners’s first project in Latin America and Faena District’s latest chapter. The completion of the building is another step towards consolidating Faena’s urban development. Faena Aleph Residences is inspired by the architecture of traditional Buenos Aires housing and its cultural legacy. The design engages double-height patios combined with split-level living spaces in order to blur the boundaries between exteriors and interiors and redefine the concept of urban housing.

Faena Miami
Plans are currently underway for the development of the Faena District in Miami Beach in late 2014. The district will offer luxury residences at the Faena House, designed by Foster+Partners and which broke ground January 2013. It will also include the new Faena Grand Hôtel Saxony, conversion of the historic 1948 Saxony Hotel by the celebrated Roman and Williams architectural team. Pritzker-Prize winning architect Rem Koolhaas and OMA will design a series of projects including the Faena Sphere Art Center, Faena Bazaar (conversion of the historic Atlantic hotel) and Arts-in-Residence Center and Faena Park (a state-of the art automated parking complex). The district will be landscaped by Miami-based firm Raymond Jungles.