In 2016, malls across America shuttered their doors as e-commerce continued to captivate consumers. Seritage Growth Properties recognized the opportunity to reposition these abandoned assets into lifestyle destinations. They set their sights on a former Sears adjacent to the Aventura Mall in Aventura, Florida, with a bold vision to create a place where people want to linger. Alongside national landscape architecture firm LandDesign, they envisioned Esplanade at Aventura - a premier public realm and retail district unlike anything seen in South Florida. Completed in 2024, Esplanade at Aventura sets a new standard for engaging public spaces and retail destinations that align with modern consumer desires.

The project emerged at a moment when retail was undergoing a dramatic transformation. Consumers were no longer seeking simple transactions but experiences that merged shopping, leisure, and culture. Esplanade responded to this shift by prioritizing the public realm as the anchor of the development. Rather than replicating traditional mall formats, the design sought to capture the vibrancy of an outdoor urban district, with spaces meant for strolling, gathering, and discovery. This repositioning of a big-box site into a multi-layered destination underscores a broader movement in American cities to rethink obsolete retail properties as centers of community life.

The Landscape as a Celebrated, Artistic Element
The design team began by identifying three guiding principles - cosmopolitan lifestyle, tropical abundance, and artistic expression - and applying them to ground design and programming decisions. At Esplanade, the landscape takes center stage with a green ribbon of tropical landscapes encouraging movement throughout the site. Rather than treating the landscape as a backdrop, the design embraces it as an active, celebrated element that defines the identity of the district.

The team maximized the site's 82,000 square feet of planted area to create an immersive environment that is both highly performative and visually engaging. The plant palette was carefully curated to mitigate heat and humidity while also delivering vibrant color, layered textures, and seasonal variety. More than 27,000 shrubs, groundcovers, and bromeliads emphasize resilient species well-adapted to South Florida's subtropical climate, ensuring long-term durability and reducing maintenance demands. These selections also invite sensory engagement - fragrant blooms, glossy foliage, and bold inflorescences create a dynamic visitor experience that evolves throughout the year.

Equally important was the preservation and enhancement of the tree canopy, which now extends across more than 100,300 square feet of shade. The strategy was designed to balance comfort with character: 191 palms bring vertical drama while 242 canopy and ornamental trees contribute lushness and scale. Over 30 mature trees were carefully relocated on-site, a logistical challenge that required extensive planning and coordination. By preserving these specimens, the project not only honored the site's existing ecological value but also provided the immediate sense of maturity that new plantings cannot replicate.

 

The result is a living framework that cools the microclimate, softens the architectural edges, and blurs the boundary between commerce and leisure. In a retail environment where visitors are often quick to move on, the tropical landscape slows the pace, encourages lingering, and transforms Esplanade at Aventura into a place where nature and urban energy coexist in harmony.

Materials that Tell a Story
The selection of custom materials reflects the team's commitment to Esplanade's vision for quality and artistic expression. The hardscape features custom pre-cast benches, planters, and curbed walls, each crafted to complement the tropical ambiance. The concrete pavers are unique in both shape and style, further enhancing the distinctiveness of the space.

Each material choice was carefully evaluated for durability and for the story it contributes to the district's identity. The benches and planters are not generic site furnishings but sculptural elements that echo the geometry of the architecture and the rhythms of the landscape. The paving pattern was inspired by the textures of South Florida, shifting light on water, the repetition of palm fronds, and the vibrant tilework seen throughout the region. Together, these details reinforce the project's guiding principle of artistic expression, ensuring that the public realm feels curated rather than conventional.

A hardscape plaza serves as a focal point for community programs, events, and markets. Designed with flexible infrastructure, the plaza can seamlessly transform from a daytime seating area into an evening stage for concerts, art installations, and seasonal celebrations. Movable furniture and integrated power allow the space to adapt, supporting both intimate gatherings and large community events. This versatile space not only enhances the shopping experience but also strengthens the connection between the community and the commercial environment, making Esplanade a hub for year-round activity.

Already, the plaza has hosted local food markets and cultural performances, affirming its role as more than a retail amenity. It is a civic stage, one that expands the project's relevance to Aventura residents and reinforces the idea that retail destinations thrive when they function as community gathering spaces.

Creating a Seamless Experience at the Surface Level
The most complex aspect of the project was integrating the 12-acre development atop a 156,000-square-foot parking garage. The design team was challenged to create an environment where visitors remain unaware of the parking structure beneath them. To achieve this, they collaborated with the structural engineer to create recessed areas in the roof of the garage that allow for adequate soil volumes to support plantings and mature trees.

Soil depths were carefully calibrated by tree species - larger canopy trees were placed in engineered planters with up to six feet of growing media, while shrubs and groundcovers occupied shallower zones. Drainage and waterproofing systems were layered to ensure both plant health and structural integrity, with root barriers protecting the garage membrane from intrusion. Irrigation was designed as a high-efficiency system that delivers precise water volumes, reducing waste and ensuring plants flourish in this unconventional environment.

Beyond technical solutions, design strategies were employed to disguise the presence of the garage. Subtle grade changes, terraced planters, and varied pavement materials mask the flatness of the structural deck and create the illusion of a ground-level streetscape. Visitors experience shaded pedestrian corridors, pocket plazas, and lush gardens, never realizing the complexity beneath their feet.

This solution not only met the structural challenges of supporting greenery above the parking structure but alleviated disruption to the visitor experience. It also sets a precedent for how underutilized retail sites can be reimagined with layered uses, maximizing land value while delivering meaningful public space.

Advocating for Design Excellence
Esplanade at Aventura demonstrates how landscape-led design can redefine the role of retail in contemporary cities. By transforming a former big-box site into a vibrant district rooted in tropical abundance, artistic expression, and a cosmopolitan lifestyle, the project delivers more than a shopping destination - it offers a civic realm where community life unfolds. The integration of technical innovation, cultural character, and resilient planting strategies has created a model for the future of mixed-use environments, proving that places designed for people first can also deliver long-term economic and social value.

As seen in LASN magazine, December 2025.