Starr Sanford Design | Las Catalinas | Costa Rica

CENTRAL AMERICA

Las Catalinas is a seaside resort town that builds on the design precedents of historic Mediterranean coastal and hill towns. The planning process included an extensive on-site reconnaissance and a week-long design charrette bringing together planners, architects, engineers, and economic analysts to determine the character and scale of residential and commercial development and architecture, transportation networks intended to minimize vehicular use, and conservation plan. The master plan framework is a series of beach and hill towns with a mix of residential, commercial, and recreational uses with each town having a unique identity based on topography and purpose. Beach Town, the main activity center, is located on the site’s prime beach frontage and contains a broad range of retail, restaurant, entertainment, office, recreation, and other supporting uses. The town will be predominantly pedestrian-oriented with a diverse mix of residential options, often stacked above other street-level uses in multi-story buildings, will include hotels, apartments, and attached as well as detached dwellings.

Project Team
Julia Starr Sanford, Starr Sanford Design
Lew Oliver, Architect and Charrette
Douglas Duany, Planner
Michael Imber, Texas; Gary Justiss, Alabama
Byron Smith, Alabama; James Wassell, New Hampshire
Tunnell Spangler Walsh & Associates, Planning and Landscape Architecture