Experts used controlled demolition techniques to bring down a 23-story luxury hotel building on an artificial island in downtown Miami, USA, in a matter of seconds. This was the largest operation in over ten years, clearing the way for a new ultra-luxury residential project.
On Sunday, 12 Apr 2024 GMT+7, at Brickell Key, Miami’s exclusive residential neighborhood, the 23-story Mandarin Oriental hotel was demolished in under 20 seconds using internal explosives.
The operation began around 08:30 local time with pink and blue signal flares launched from the building’s rooftop, followed by a series of explosions. The hotel, which had been in use for more than 25 years, collapsed amid a huge dust cloud, as a crowd watching from a safe distance cheered and recorded videos.
Swire Properties, the developer, stated that this demolition is part of the plan for "The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami," a twin-tower project combining a hotel and ultra-luxury residences, scheduled for completion in 2030.
Officials said the operation was planned and coordinated with the city of Miami for nearly two years. Controlled demolition was chosen as the safest and most efficient method to minimize disruption to surrounding communities, despite residents within a 244-meter radius being required to stay indoors with windows and doors sealed during the event.
This demolition is the largest controlled building implosion in Miami in over a decade, attracting global media attention as the start of a major transformation of high-end real estate in the area.