Solarium Jungle Park

Guanacaste, Costa Rica

With its river-like Jungle Park flowing through the site, the Solarium masterplan consolidates an iconic landscape gesture within an optimum urban context modeled after the Savannah Grid. Visible from planes landing at the nearby airport, the Jungle Park becomes an identity for the entire development and invites passersby to explore the retail-lined edges of the green space. Shops, cafes, and residential units lining the park share benefits from the community amenities and views into the flowing green area. Ecologically, the river-like shape of the Jungle Park acts as a filtration system collecting water runoff from the urban portion of the site, culminating in a waterfall at the rear of the site

Initiated as an exercise to provide landscape design for an existing masterplan, BAM+MSI worked with clients to create a more cohesive plan enhancing real estate visibility. For the same investment in green area as the original plan, the client was able to create 4x as much real estate bordering a common park area with increased traffic from the destination toursists visiting the Guanacoste area by consolidating the park area. With its new Jungle Park identity, the Solarium development has attracted national attention as a model of development, an honor bestowed by the President of the Costa Rica.

Ecologically, the reconfiguration of the landscape zone into a river-like flow produces several benefits. First it reduces fragmentation of landscape elements and fosters a habitat which can actually support selective urban wildlife. Secondly, the river-like shape effectively captures and filters water runoff from the urban areas of the site. Prone to heavy rains and flash floods, street and building runoff is directed into the park zone. Natural vegetative filters line the edges of the park, channeling and cleaning the runoff through the park into a series of lagoons. Remaining impurities settle in the lagoon area before finally passing through a waterfall into the undeveloped jungle beyond.

The activities of the Jungle Park proceed in three distinct zones. These three activity zones increase in program intensity from the front to the back of the site: from casual walking paths at the front to Jungle canopy zip lines at the back. This progression of activities allows for the most active and engaging of programs to be situated out of the urban zones and more integrated with the existing Jungle fabric.

The entry zone opens off the main road incorporating trailheads for walking and biking paths. The slowly meandering paths lead past tranquility ponds and picnic areas. Festooned with a canopy of lights, a night market is visible from the main road and features utilities for impromptu stalls, music performances, and dancing. A hotel in the center of the development uses the main park drive as a drop off area and opens its ballroom to an event pavilion in the park.

The central zone of the park bridges the primary road within the development. Separated bridges for pedestrians and bikes create strong continuity across the road. These bridges lead into a children’s waterpark zone which works as an extension of the hotel pool and spa and features a series of play fountains, waterfalls, and swimming lagoons. Sports fields end the middle section of the park as it dips below another primary roadway within the development.

The final zone of the park features its most active areas. The normal biking path transitions into a more aggressive mountain biking course which continues on into the undeveloped jungle beyond. The pedestrian path begins to leave the ground and enters the tree canopy into a network of bridges and lookouts. Rock climbing towers are emerge from the landscape, surrounded by a BMX course. Certified guides can take visitors on a zipline tour of the canopy, ending in an overlook of the uninterrupted jungle beyond. With its improved masterplan Solarium has enjoyed much attention within Costa Rican media. Construction is underway on the first zone of the park, expected to be completed in 2009. The total development is scheduled for completion in 2011. (Project completed by BAM in the office of Martha Schwartz, Inc.)

Project Facts Client: DWL Architectural: Javier Rojas Arquitectos