Plan de Renovación de Turrialba

Overview

Turrialba is the city that grew from its station. The Atlantic Railway defined its urban layout, and the transport of bananas, sugar and coffee shaped its history. The 2017 Renewal Plan takes that origin as its starting point with eight urban acupuncture projects addressing public space, mobility, tourism, culture, sport and the local economy. The plan was developed in 2017 with the support of Turrialba Sostenible, the municipality and the Office of the First Lady of the Republic, within the Tejiendo Desarrollo program.

The central group of the plan revolves around the historic Incofer property. The old Railway Station is renewed for social and cultural activities. The ensemble expands with a Human Development Center, a market, a public toy library, an Entrepreneurship Center, a café and gardens. The Casa de la Cultura Jorge Debravo gains a double height volume that expands its exhibition area. Parque Jorge Debravo, the sports promenade on Avenida 11, Boulevard Las Américas and Microplaza Turru Vac complete the public space system. The microplaza sits beside the Colorado River, with a gabion wall that works as a bench facing the river.

The 12.2 kilometer bike lane is the structural element of the plan. It is divided into five types by use (Historic Center, Sports, Neighborhoods, Scenic and Adventure) and uses the railway axis to interconnect the city instead of remaining isolated as a linear axis. The plan gives Turrialba back a civic scale in keeping with its history and geography.