Comments (0) Best Building - 2006
The Kennan Building
Save for Miami Beach's famed crayon-box outcropping of Deco hotels, out-of-town visitors rarely find much to write home about regarding South Florida architecture. In fact, it's probably easier to locate architectural atrocities and "what were they thinking?" landmarks. But the mid-'50s Kennan Building, at the northwest corner of Federal Highway and Oakland Park Boulevard, always draws compliments from locals and tourists alike. Twin columns of coral rock, steel, and glass adorned with a stylized, mid-century-modern mosaic, terrazzo floors inlaid with turquoise and silver -- they don't design buildings like this in Broward anymore. In fact, sadly enough, most of the area's best structures have been cannibalized by the wrecking ball. Even a renovation a few years back couldn't mess up the Kennan's Jetsons-esque appeal (it's hard to alter a round building, after all), which remains a beautiful beacon in a lonely sea of strip malls and chain restaurants.
