Brickell Key, human settlement in Miami, Florida, United States of America

Brickell Key is a small triangular island in Miami connected to downtown by a single bridge and defined by luxury high-rise residential towers. The buildings range from the Mandarin Oriental to modern developments like Icon Brickell and Aston Martin Residences, positioned around the shoreline and offering waterfront views and city vistas.

In 1896, Henry Flagler had a 9-foot-deep channel dug from the Miami River mouth, creating two islands from the dredged material. In 1943, Edward N. Claughton, Sr. bought the islands and additional bay-bottom land, combining them into a 44-acre triangular tract. Swire Properties bought most of the island in the late 1970s and built it out with tall residential towers, mostly during the 2000s condo wave; the Mandarin Oriental opened in 2000.

The name Claughton Island honours Edward N. Claughton, Sr., the developer who in 1943 bought the two small islands and the bay-bottom land and merged them into one 44-acre triangle. The Mandarin Oriental Miami opened on the island in 2000. Most of the residential towers went up during the condo construction wave of the 2000s.

Visitors can reach the island via a pedestrian bridge and follow a paved path that circles it, offering open water and city views throughout the walk. A free trolley service returns visitors to Brickell Avenue after exploring, making it easy to visit without long walks back.

Brickell Key began as two small islands: in 1896 Henry Flagler had a 9-foot-deep channel dug from the mouth of the Miami River, and the material dredged out formed them. In 1943 Edward N. Claughton, Sr. bought them with other bay-bottom land and joined everything into one 44-acre triangle.