CUBE 3 Welcomes Anna Caruso as Principal

[Miami, FL] CUBE 3 is pleased to announce that Anna Caruso, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, has joined the firm as Principal, based out of our Miami office. Anna, who brings more than 26 years of experience in the South Florida market, will play a key role in expanding CUBE 3’s Miami presence while strengthening design leadership and client relationships throughout the region.

Caruso joins CUBE 3 from Arquitectonica, where she served as a Principal for 13 years. Her career also includes leadership roles at Zyscovich Architects and The Related Group, as well as experience running her own practice.

“I look forward to the opportunity to help grow and shape the Miami office while expanding the firm’s relationships in the region,” said Caruso. “Overall, the firm’s entrepreneurial environment is the perfect fit for my experience in design, operations, and client development, and their culture, ambition, and trajectory align closely with both my personal and professional goals for the future.”

Originally from Rome, Italy, Caruso developed an early appreciation for the power of the built environment. “Surrounded by centuries of architecture, I became attuned to how light, volume, and material can shape experience—how a quiet street can suddenly open into a luminous piazza, or how places carry memory and meaning over time. Those moments sparked my interest in architecture and the idea of genius loci, the spirit that gives each place its identity.”

Caruso’s creative philosophy is rooted in purpose-driven architecture and social responsibility. She approaches design as a balance of creativity and strategy, emphasizing environments that support people, community, and continuity over time. Her experience working across both architecture and real estate development has strengthened her ability to collaborate across disciplines and align vision with execution.

“At its core, CUBE 3 has always been about people — our teams, our clients, and the communities we design for,” said Nik Middleton, CEO of CUBE 3. “Anna brings a leadership style that reflects those values. She has the strategic mindset, design leadership, and local insight needed to help shape the next chapter of our Miami presence. As we continue to grow nationally, leaders like Anna ensure our culture remains intentional, inclusive, and deeply connected to place.”

Contact Information
Keith Boyle
Principal / COO
marketing@cube3.com
978-989-9900

Tell us a bit about your professional journey — what initially drew you to the work you do, and how did your early experiences shape your approach today?
Growing up in Rome, Italy, I developed an early appreciation for the power of the built environment. Surrounded by centuries of architecture, I became attuned to how light, volume, and material can shape experience—how a quiet street can suddenly open into a luminous piazza, or how places carry memory and meaning over time. Those moments sparked my interest in architecture and the idea of genius loci, the spirit that gives each place its identity.

That foundation has continued to guide my professional journey. Early experiences reinforced the importance of pairing design with collaboration, leadership, and a strong understanding of context. I approach architecture as a balance of creativity and strategy, always working in close partnership with clients to shape environments that feel thoughtful, enduring, and connected to place.

Can you highlight a project from your past and / or share an achievement from your career that you are most proud of / and why?
I’m most proud of the perspective I gained by working across both architecture and real estate development. Architecture shaped my design foundation, while development taught me that designers are one — albeit critically important — part of a larger ecosystem driven by owners and realized by contractors. That experience strengthened my ability to collaborate, balancing vision with practicality and execution.

How would you describe your creative philosophy — what principles guide your work?
I believe in purpose-driven architecture rather than self-expression. My philosophy is grounded in social responsibility and in contributing meaningfully to the built environment. Architecture should create spaces where life unfolds in all its complexity — environments that support people, community, and continuity over time.

What trends or shifts in the creative landscape are you most excited about right now — and how do you think they should influence our work?
I’m excited by a growing return to context-driven design and long-term thinking. There’s renewed interest in architecture that is rooted in place — environmentally responsive, socially aware, and emotionally resonant. I believe our work should move beyond short-term novelty and instead focus on creating durable, adaptable environments that age well and remain relevant for generations.

How do you balance creative innovation with commercial or brand needs?
I balance creative innovation with commercial or brand needs by using those needs as purposeful constraints. They ground the design in real-world goals while still allowing space for thoughtful, forward-looking solutions. Constraints often sharpen creativity rather than limit it.

Who or what inspires you creatively — mentors, artists, movements, or experiences?
I’m inspired by the Ideal City treatises, Alberti, and Pienza; by Piranesi’s Campus Martius; and by the streets of Rome — especially the Pantheon — for their emotional depth. I look to Mies van der Rohe, the Bauhaus, and Louis Kahn’s Salk Institute for clarity and order. The atmospheric qualities of Monet and the symbolism of Klimt influence my sensibilities, while Beethoven demonstrates the power of pure structure and Pink Floyd reminds me how atmosphere can shape experience.

Looking back, what’s one lesson or skill a mentor helped you develop that continues to shape how you lead and mentor others today?
Be open to the new. Be fearless. And never fall in love with your first idea. The first came from a mentor; the others from professors at university — and together they still guide how I design, lead, and mentor others.