Case Study: Swire Properties achieves a safe, controlled hotel implosion with Thornton Tomasetti

Swire Properties safely implodes Mandarin Oriental Miami in 12 seconds with Thornton Tomasetti

Swire Properties needed to safely implode the 23-story Mandarin Oriental Miami hotel, a complex challenge due to its dense waterfront location surrounded by residential towers and infrastructure. They engaged Thornton Tomasetti to provide deconstruction peer review services to validate the demolition plan and ensure a controlled collapse.

Thornton Tomasetti independently evaluated the contractor's implosion plan using finite element analysis and its proprietary FLEX platform to simulate and predict the collapse. This ensured the building would fall within its footprint. The implosion was successfully executed in April 2026, with the structure collapsing as predicted in just 12 seconds, producing no significant off-site debris and validating the analytical approach.

Swire Properties