The Butterfly Theater is a living pavilion—part sculpture, part habitat, part playground. It takes inspiration from the elegance of flamingos and the presence of butterflies in Miami Beach, transforming the park’s open center into a place of movement, color, and quiet spectacle. It’s both a temporary event and a potential permanent resident: a soft landmark in the city’s landscape.
Like a flock of flamingos wading in shallow water, a field of thin steel columns stands lightly across the grass. Some are paired, some are staggered, creating a sense of rhythm and flow. Painted in soft, bright colors, they form a loose grid that’s playful, navigable, and ever-changing depending on your point of view.
PROGRAM: Butterfly Habitat
CONTEXT: Miami Beach, Florida, USA
SITE: Flamingo Park
TEAM: Bryan Maddock, Grace Infante
ORGANIZER: The City of Miami Beach
At the heart of the Butterfly Theater, the underused sunlit park space is transformed into a vibrant stage. Once defined by two lonely benches, it now hosts a living spectacle where butterflies gather and visitors watch. Framed by the surrounding structure, the open center becomes an urban room—welcoming to both pollinators and people, and reactivating the park with light, life, and shared experience.
