Miami’s Wynwood Arts District is our focus for this week’s Project of the Week: the redevelopment of the Whale & Star property into a mixed-use building combining hotel, residential, retail, and rooftop amenities. The proposed eight-story project, The Cloud One Hotel & Residences Wynwood, is led by Whale & Star Wynwood Owner LLC—a joint venture backed by Motel One, Ralf Buschl’s Buschl Group, and Sebastian Ludke of ALP.X Group—and is scheduled for completion in 2027.
This new luxury hotel will replace the site’s existing 27,406 square feet of commercial buildings. In their place: 214 hotel rooms branded under Cloud One Hotels, 85 condominium units, and over 11,000 square feet of commercial space, including a rooftop restaurant and bar. The design has received approval from both WDRC and UBRD in September 2024.
Designed for immersion
Spanning roughly 250,000 square feet, the project aims to create a seamless connection between architecture, hospitality, and Wynwood’s distinct cultural energy. HWKN Architecture leads the design effort, with ODP Architecture & Design serving as architect of record. A full team of collaborators—ranging from Bliss & Nyitray (structural) to Goldman Global Arts (art curation)—will bring the building to life, inside and out.
The Cloud One Hotel & Residences Wynwood will offer a mix of hotel rooms and branded condominiums, with shared access to rooftop amenities and hotel services.
- Hotel Rooms (Floors 3–5):
- 214 total rooms
- Sizes range from 223 to 425 square feet
- Condominiums (Floors 6–8):
- 85 total units
- Studio units starting at 406 square feet
- Loft-style residences up to 1,592 square feet
- Options include up to three bedrooms and mezzanine decks
- Shared Amenities:
- Rooftop pool
- Rooftop gym and yoga terrace
- Rooftop bar and restaurant
- Full access to hotel services for condo residents
Living above the murals
True to Wynwood’s identity, the building will feature colorful murals curated by Goldman Global Arts, the team behind Wynwood Walls. From street level to rooftop terrace, the project is positioned to be both a neighborhood landmark and a social hub. With hotel-branded condos and a rooftop designed for both yoga at sunrise and drinks at sunset, the developers are betting on Wynwood’s continued appeal to locals, tourists, and international buyers.
The vision is clear: a building that doesn’t just sit in Wynwood, but lives in it. And with rooftop amenities offering everything but an actual cloud to sit on, Cloud One might just be the only place in Miami where the views are as curated as the cocktails.