Each December, as the art world descends on Miami, the Miami Design District reasserts itself as one of the city’s most dynamic cultural engines—a place where creativity isn’t an accessory to commerce, but its equal partner. This spirit is crystallized in The Art of Play, the neighborhood’s annual celebration of experimentation, imagination, and pure joy. For Craig Robins, CEO and President of Dacra, this edition exemplifies the unique formula that has shaped the area into a global destination: a 50/50 balance of culture and business, where world-class design meets a deep, emotional sense of place.
Miami Design District
This year, that vision expands in fresh and unexpected directions. Visitors will discover vibrant masterpieces such as Alteronce Gumby’s dazzling stained-glass and mosaic mural Living the Dream, which transforms Jade Alley with shimmering gemstones, fossils, and cosmic colors. Elsewhere, Bony Ramirez presents his Musa Coccinea mural in Palm Court — a lush, Caribbean-inflected tribute blending botanical motifs and portraiture. Meanwhile, Jill Mulleady brings Pesca a la Encendida — a sweeping, contemporary reimagining of a classical fishing scene — to the district’s facade architecture. In addition, a special installation by artist Katie Stout transforms the neighborhood’s atmosphere. Craig Robins also debuts a new exhibition from his own collection, “Walking on Air,” centered on the pioneering conceptualist Richard Tuttle and enriched by recent acquisitions from artists shaping contemporary discourse.
Katie Stout Portrait, 2025, photograph by Nick Laham, courtesy of the artist.
As the district continues to evolve—with new buildings, institutions, and cultural offerings—The Art of Play reaffirms its mission: a welcoming, ever-growing ecosystem where art, architecture, community, and innovation thrive year-round. Craig Robins spoke with Whitewall about what to expect next week.
The Art of Play in the Miami Design District
Portrait courtesy of Craig Robins.
WHITEWALL: This year, the Art of Play celebrates creativity, experimentation, and joy. How does this idea resonate with your broader vision for the district as a space where art, design, and community intersect?
CRAIG ROBINS: The Design District has always been — and I think this is its unique characteristic — equally about culture and about doing business. Normally, real estate projects are all about the business uses, and the cultural part is secondary. With us, it’s really 50/50.
Art of Play is a perfect symbol of that philosophy and belief: that adding real culture to a place gives people a deeper emotional connection, something that makes it feel truly special.
Museum Garage, photo by Luis Gomez. Courtesy of Craig Robins.
WW: What novelties or key developments can we expect to see this year that reflect this next chapter of cultural and commercial growth?
CR: When you walk around the neighborhood, everywhere you look you see art, architecture, and design. There are amazing temporary installations — “temporary” meaning one to four years — like Mario Ayala’s mural. And there are powerful, iconic permanent installations: Buckminster Fuller’s Fly’s Eye Dome, the building by John Baldessari, the fence by Marc Newson, and the sculpture inside the Moore Building by Zaha Hadid. Every year we also commission a designer to create a neighborhood-wide installation. This year Katie Stout is doing it — a beautiful installation that transforms the character of the neighborhood. Some installations even remain long-term, like the climbing sculptures by Dozie Kanu, which have been up for eight years.
We’re also opening a new exhibition from my collection. The ICA continues to do extraordinary shows — and it is free to the public, which I love. One of the most high-end districts in the U.S. also lets you walk into a museum for free, or park for $3. We want the district to feel welcoming to everyone. These different energies create the overall experience.
Walking on Air at the Craig Robins Collection
McKinniss, Mary Boone, Courtesy of the artist and Craig Robins Collection.
WW: The new presentation of your collection, Walking on Air, places Richard Tuttle at the center. What drew you to focus on Tuttle for this exhibition?
CR: As a collector, I’ve always focused on identifying artists I could collect in depth — earlier that included John Baldessari, Richard Tuttle, Marlene Dumas, Kai Althoff, Nicole Eisenman, for example.
This year, working closely with Karen Grimson, we built the exhibition beginning with the most important historical work in the collection: Marcel Duchamp’s Three Standard Stoppages, followed by a conceptual photographic work by John Baldessari (Throwing Three Balls in the Air to Get a Straight Line), and a basketball drawing by David Hammons.
We then structured the presentation around works by Richard Tuttle, from the 1960s up through a recent piece from 2024. Richard is, I believe, one of the most important American artists — his contribution has been remarkable — and it felt like the right moment to feature him.
Criola’s mural “Interdimensional Portal” in the Miami Design District, photo by Luis Gomez.
WW: You’ve also included recent acquisitions by artists such as Lauren Halsey, Sam McKinniss, and Jill Mulleady. What excites you about these new voices, and how do they expand the collection’s ongoing conversation between art, architecture, and urban life?
CR: I always try to find artists I want to collect in depth. With Lauren Halsey and Jill Mulleady, for example, I’ve collected several works — both are incredibly interesting artists of this moment. Other examples include Jana Euler, Sasha Gordon, Mario Ayala.
The process is consistent: I buy one piece from an artist whose work impresses me, and then I follow their evolution. I was blown away by Sam McKinniss’ show and bought an amazing painting — the first I’ve acquired by him. Now I’ll watch how he progresses and decide whether to continue collecting.
So you can see the historical depth — Baldessari, Tuttle, Dumas — and then the new generation I’m building around now. Sam McKinniss is the most recent addition, and his work looks fantastic. I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Courtesy of ICA Miami.
WW: The Miami Design District has become synonymous with cultural excellence year-round. How do you envision its evolution over the next decade as a living ecosystem for design innovation and sustainability?
CR: We continue expanding the experience. Part of that is content — like free public concerts. Recently, Emily Estefan performed with five Latin Grammy–nominated artists. These moments enrich the district’s cultural life. We also collaborate with institutions like the ICA, which keeps raising the bar. We’re adding new uses, too. The district has always included retail, restaurants, furniture showrooms, but also offices and residences. Now we have hospitality in the Moore Building. In the coming years, we’re adding several new buildings:
A multifamily building in collaboration with Jorge Pardo
A Class-A office building with architecture by Hanneke and a façade by Daniel Arsham
A hotel and condo by David Chipperfield, in partnership with the Maybourne group (Connaught, Claridge’s)
A second office building with Snøhetta
Each project is spectacular on its own but also strengthens the district as a 24-hour ecosystem. If you’re staying in the hotel, you can walk to restaurants or retail. If you’re here for business, you can stay on-site. It creates seamless connectivity throughout the neighborhood.
