HACIENDA EL VIEJO
GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA | 2,500 hectares
Hacienda El Viejo, situated in one of the five longevity hotspots of the world, has been conceived as the first of its kind “Blue Zone Retreat.” A place where people can go to learn the lifestyle principles for a long healthy and happier life. A place where healthy choices are a way of life for you and to the benefit of the community. All the Blue Zones around the world have lessons that we are focusing on to use in our designs. Our goal is to design a place where people can go to and enjoy for a day, a weekend, vacation and even live for extended times.
Hacienda El Viejo’s new program and public plazas introduced are taking advantage of the contours of the land. Upon arriving you will find the Market Plaza elevated two meters above the Guanacaste Green. Then from that vantage point, you will see the Casona Plaza is raised a few meters above the Market Plaza through a sequence of staircases. The concept is to make the progression to the Casona a ceremonial event to remember.
Market Plaza is the civic hub of Hacienda El Viejo. This plaza is the place where visitors get their first taste of what the area has to offer historically, culturally and contextually. Underneath the arcades of the market will be vendors and ever-changing exhibitions that display the local artisans. To force the view of the visitor to the Casona, the mix-use building is angled to terminate the vista on the Casona.
Abejonal Hamlet will preserve the tree canopy and enhance the wetlands area by increasing the existing pond. The design concept is to create a Hamlet that protects the majority of the hillside by limiting the carbon footprint of the homes.
El Viejo Town will have narrow streets with linear green parks that provide places for people to gather and enjoy the natural surroundings. Similar to the other primary street entrance the visitor will get a glimpse of the Church terminating at the end of the road.
El Viejo Town will have a public plaza and green at the center of the town. In front of the church will be the plaza that can be used for holding community events.
Some of the rules that were extracted, from the Law of Indies, have been slightly changed to respond to today’s social needs: The church in inland places shall not be placed on the square but at a distance and shall be separated from any other nearby building, and ought to be seen from all sides. Efforts should be made to raise from the ground level so that it be approached by steps, and near it, next to the main plaza.
In this layout, the church has been placed in the plaza adjacent to the main square. The two main entrances into the town terminate at the plaza and the church is raised so that it can be seem by the visitor. The block network of the Town is a grid that respects the contours of the land. Of the main streets, all the perpendicular streets terminate at the top of the hill or at the base. Along these narrow streets that terminate at the plaza, linear parks are used to provide shade and to enhance natural setting of the surroundings.
El Viejo Town will have a hierarchy of streets in a grid pattern that will make it easy for the residents and visitors to get around the Town.
El Viejo Town will have a green network that includes linear parks, pocke parks and the main green at the center of the Town.
hacienda El Viejo is reorganized and a new program introduced. The new master plan is now laid out along four public spaces. Upon entering the site, the visitor experiences the Guanacaste Green, next is the Market Plaza, next the Casona Plaza and at the hill the Inn Plaza.
PUBLIC SPACES
Guanacaste Green - is an open green that is occupied by a single authentic Guanacaste Tree planted in the center of the green. Over time, this majestic and aesthetically pleasing tree has a canopy that will provide an oasis underneath the shade of the tree. Along three sides of this green will be located the Indigenous Indian Museum, the Market Plaza, and the Information Center and Gift Shop.
Market Plaza - is a public paved plaza occupied on three sides with public buildings. A State-of-Art Multifunction Facility, the Guanacaste Green, and an Arcade that is used to provide shade to vendors and entertainers.
Casona Plaza - is a public paved plaza occupied on four sides with public buildings. The Casona, the Visitors Center, the Mix-Use building with shops and El Viejo Exhibition Center, and a Trellis.
Inn Plaza - is a public paved plaza that has a central fountain and stairs that cascade to the contours of the land. The entire perimeter of this open space on four sides has El Viejo Inn and a pathway that leads to El Viejo Acropolis situated at the top of the hill.