After numerous false starts, the City of Miami Beach is now proceeding apace with the renovation of its Convention Center, which has hosted Art Basel for more than a decade despite its dated design and creaking infrastructure. The $500 million renovation, which is being planned to start when Art Basel in Miami Beach 2015 closes and is due to be completed before the 2017 edition of the fair, replaces a previous, much more ambitious redevelopment scheme designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

Art Basel will continue to take place in the center, the oldest parts of which date from the late 1950s, throughout the revamp. “We are very confident that the refurbishment will be phased in a way that will enable us to continue operating to Art Basel standards,” says a spokeswoman for the fair.