Meet Bernard Zyscovich | Architect and Urbanist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bernard Zyscovich and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bernard, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
To watch the happiness and excitedness of children on the first day that their new school opens, or observe passengers relish the experience of the Brightline station, Florida’s new passenger rail system, or the party at community center in Little Haiti, or Tropical park…..the impact of these places and so many others that we have designed will last generations. It all starts with curiosity about the what it is we will creating and the dedication that it has to be delightful and uplifting as well the obvious which is to function at the highest level. But said a different way, we believe that all of us humans and actors in the drama of our lives and our function as architects is to make the best stage sets. We all have so much in common with each other and yet we are ll uniques. The buildings and cities that we make should reflect the richness of our cultures and exemplify what is authentic and unique about each of our situations. For us, It is a love for people that creates the impetus for great design. Whether it is a small project or something like our creation of Midtown miami which has become one of Miami’s favorite places. We believe that our job is to put the actors in our lives on the best possible stage.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
A young architect starting out, invariably begins with small projects, like a house addition or similar. That was also true for me but I soon realized that satisfaction for me should come from projects that are more involved in the overall society. I strived towards finding projects that were sponsored by the public or civic sector to mix in with the type of projects that could be done in the private sponsored sector. This turned out to not only be more satisfying because of the diversity of project but also a grea business model to carry the firm while it was growing through different economic cycles. Evolving specialties along the way in Education, Urban Design and housing provided even more diversity to augment the overall boutique approach to the practice. In essence our firm culture embraces new challenges while also delving deeper into our specialties. A fully rounded practice has been a great decision for creativity and business.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Finding favorite spots in Miami and Miami Beach does not really much of an effort. Of course the beach itself especially on Miami Beach provides all kinds of experiences day and night. Visiting the up and coming neighborhoods like Wynwood, Allapattah and the tried and true like coconut grove and little Havana shows off the cities different Latin and Caribbean neighborhoods. There are too many restaurants to mention, as well as clubs and music venues. It is even possible to go to Miami’s own home grown all night raves in an industrial area of Hialeah, known as factory town.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This journey began with a fascination of the psychology of people and places and was inspired by book called the Fountainhead. It was an unexpected career choice since I had absolutely no background in drawing or the arts but felt that I if I could make an impact in my surroundings by extension I could my world. Along the way, I was helped by so many, in my education, in my work experiences, in my relationship with clients and colleagues and of course with the encouragement of dear friends. After several years of apprenticeship in a wonderful and powerfully instructive period working for a great architect and friend, I ventured out on my own and began to forge the path of my own practice. It was and still is after all these years based on purposeful projects, surrounding myself with people i trust and want to spend time with, and projects that fulfill opportunities for creativity that benefit our world in some way, if possible. My partners and colleagues during all these years are responsible for the growth and success of our reputation and accomplishments.

Website: Zyscovich.com