1111 Lincoln Road

In places such as Miami Beach, Florida, where every last square foot of land is precious, renovation and revitalization work is constant, including at 1111 Lincoln Road, which Raymond Jungles, Inc. recently came along to transform from a dull roadway into a tree- and pond-lined walkway. Raymond Jungles himself oversaw the project, which had to conform to both his client’s original vision for an outdoor commercial district and the stipulations of the Miami Beach Historical Preservation Board, but he made sure his own plans—to bring back a bit of natural Florida habitat for area wildlife—were also met. The first step involved stripping away the roadway’s original concrete and central median, and then new polished-concrete planters were installed in various configurations to conform to the shapes of surrounding structures. Jungles also installed a recirculating pump system to supply four biofiltrated water-gardens built into the system of planters, and then the walkway itself was laid over with a mosaic of Pedra Portuguesa pavement. 1111 Lincoln Road is located between two taller structures that minimize sunlight, so Jungles opted to plant semi-deciduous live oaks and cypresses that would allow sunlight in winter and provide shade in summer. On the site’s south side, a high water table presented a final challenge, but Jungles negotiated it by planting salt-tolerant Sabal palms and Pachira aquatica. The resulting walkway is a vibrant public space traversed daily by hundreds, who, if they look closely, will hopefully notice the bromeliads and epiphytes Jungles tied to the limbs of trees even after the project was finished. ABQ