Projects · Public, sports and institutional space
Public, sports and institutional spaces in Costa Rica
Together with communities and institutions we have designed squares, parks, sports courts, pools and municipal buildings in cantons across the country, with their daily use and the maintenance they can take on in mind.
More on public space design and sustainable architecture.
How we think about it
Every project reviews about a hundred topics, from the site and the light to cost and operation. On each one we take a position. The sum of those positions is what gives the project its shape.
Some we often consider.
Building on what exists
A bench, a tree and a streetlight in the right place can change a neighborhood. That is the idea of urban acupuncture that guides much of our work.
Shared before individual
We design with the neighbors and with the people who will look after the place afterwards, because whether the space comes alive depends on them.
Space and light
We design public space in volume, not only in plan. Shade at three in the afternoon, drainage for the rainy season and materials that withstand everyday use.
The building ten years on
A public space is measured years later. We design it around the maintenance the institution can take on.
From territory to detail
We review the site and the building in all their dimensions before proposing. We return to that reading at every stage of the project.
- TerritoryEcology, climate, soil and energy of the site.
- PhysicalEcology, climate, soil and energy
- CityMobility, land use, urban image and community.
- UrbanInfrastructure, mobility, land use and urban image
- SocialCommunity, culture, economy, politics and regulations
- BuildingSpace, form and function at the service of the people who use it.
- SpaceRelationships, organization, hierarchy and proportion
- FormVolume, composition and architectural system
- FunctionProgram, circulation, access and building services
- DetailLight, color, texture and the way each material comes together.
- TectonicsConstruction system, materials and building time
- PerceptionLight, color, texture, views, air and scents
We support the whole process with one team. Design, permits, costs and construction inspection, so that what was designed gets built.
If your procurement process runs through SICOP, this experience supports the bid.
Frequently asked questions
How does the community take part?
Through workshops, surveys and walks with neighbors before designing. What they say shapes the program of the space.
How is maintenance considered?
From the design. Materials that withstand daily use, drainage for the rainy season and elements the municipality can replace at low cost.
How do we drive works with communities and institutions?
In several ways. We take part in competitions and public procurement through SICOP, work through direct contracting when the institution allows it, and help communities and associations shape an idea until it becomes a project that can be funded and built.
Can it be built in phases?
Yes. We split the project into phases that can be contracted and used separately, according to available funds.
Is your municipality or institution preparing a project?
We work with you from reading the site to construction, with the community in the process.