Geo-Fluidic Landscape

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Geo-fluidic Landscape : Draining the city Honors thesis - AA Landscape Urbanism - Veritas

Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Honors thesis - AA Landscape Urbanism - Veritas Workshop

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Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Geo-fluidic Landscape : Draining the city City analysis tool

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In order to fully understand the behavior of Puntarenas city, an analysis tool is created. Different urban, human and natural components are divided into topics or thematic, this allows a clash or a cross information between different topics, obtaining a more complex city understanding.

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Estero de Puntarenas

Salida 07.

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Salida 06.

Salida 05.

-0.5 m

Salida 04.

-1.0 m

Salida 03.

Estero de Puntarenas

Salida 02.

Salida 01.

This estuary is one of the most important wetlands mangrove system Central Pacific of Costa Rica. It has an area of 2,500 hectares and is one of the largest in Central America. Ecologically, belongs to the region of salty forests Isthmian Pacific, 95 % of fish species in the Gulf of Nicoya depend on mangroves for food and reproduction.

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Throughout Puntarenas are 14 sewage drains which are discharged directly into the estuary without treatment. Only 30% of the wastewater is pretreated. The pollution produced an immediate effect on the estuary of Puntarenas, destroying the ecosystem.

Oceano Pacifico

Among the main issues presented the site is flooding , which occur about 16 times throughout the year. This phenomenon occurs mainly in the north coast because it is the lowest area of the city . This phenomenon becomes severe when combined with the problems of water pollution, as these are the waters that flooded the city.

Flooding zones

Water contamination and flooding

Geo-fluidic Landscape : Draining the city Honors thesis - AA Landscape Urbanism - Veritas

Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Sewage drains 25 m3/s

115 ug/l

10 ug/l - no contamination level

Contamination levels

Honors thesis - AA Landscape Urbanism - Veritas

4

Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Geo-fluidic Landscape : Draining the city System development

Cultural program-10

Commercial program-09

Cultural program-08

Commercial program-07

Educational program-06

Commercial program-05

Sports program-03

Housing program-04

Commercial program-02

Commercial program-01

In order to create an efficient solution to the city problems, the solution it’s developed in three main interventions, 1. New programmatic connections, the northern part of the city is connected to the less develop zones; this whey the city will have more efficient and divers connections.

These programmatic connections are based on the connection of the city 2. Drosscape, this way the intervention is made on conflictive infrastructure. To control and design the new infrastructure, a 3. New urban fabric is required; a polygonal mesh is created to articulate the new structure with the current structure of the city.

400 m 300 m

400 m 300 m

200 m 200 m 100 m

100 m 400 m 300 m 200 m

100 m

100 m 200 m

300 m 400 m 400 m 300 m 200 m

100 m

01 03

05 06

1. New program connection.

09 08

02

04

07

10

2. Drosscape.

01 03

05 06 09 08

02 04

07

10

Main programme Action radius 100 meters

3. New Urban Fabric Conection to city grid

Main structure

Third programme Action radius 25 meters

Programme

Conection to city grid

Secondary programme Action radius 50 meters

Program connection

4000 m2 2000m2 - 4000m2 1000m2 - 2000m2 500m2 - 1000m2

Secondary structure

New Urban Fabric

Drosscape

Honors thesis - AA Landscape Urbanism - Veritas

5

Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Geo-fluidic Landscape : Draining the city System application The system application is divided in three main interventions, 1. Flooding control, as a new public park the north shore of the city is transform in to a flooding zone; the geometry is modify depending on the program adjacent, the second main intervention, 2. Urban wetland system, these water treatment consist in multiple ponds connected at the south area of the proposed city fabric, this 3. City mesh land use plans to reactivate the city basic functions.

C

C-B

B-A

A-C

C-A

A-B

A-B C-A

B-C

B-C

A-C C-B B-A

C

1. Flooding control.

03 03

03

03

03 03 03 03

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03 03 03

2. Wetland Water system.

3. City mesh land use.

Commercial program Housing program Educational program Cultural program Sports program Industrial program Productive green space Public lawn Wetland water treatment system

City mesh land use

First treatment phase

Third treatment phase

Second treatment phase

Wetland water system

Honors thesis - AA Landscape Urbanism - Veritas Workshop

6 Wetland systems 01

02

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Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Geo-fluidic Landscape : Draining the city Urban wetland system - Wetland catalog

on site

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Taking in consideration the slope found on site the water treatment system is divided into four stages, providing a better adaptation of the system, by reducing long water circulation thought the site. At the longest treatment system the water is estimated to be clean in five days.

Urban wetland system - Urban wetlands system 01 - 11 328.40 m2 - 1 126.3 habitants aprox -

01

Stage 02-A 1129.40 m2 112.9 habitants 0.00 level

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Stage 04 1411.10 m2 141.1 habitants - 0.50 level

02

Stage 02-A 2008.80 m2 200.8 habitants - 0.10 level

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Stage 02-A 1240.70 m2 124.0 habitants - 0.10 level

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Stage 02-B 1154.20 m2 115.4 habitants - 0.20 level

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Stage 02-B 1357.80 m2 125.7 habitants - 0.20 level

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Stage 03 782.30 m2 78.2 habitants - 0.30 level

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Stage 03 656.3 m2 65.6 habitants - 0.30 level

05

Stage 03 580.50 m2 58.0 habitants - 0.40 level

10

Stage 03 1045.30 m2 104.5 habitants - 0.40 level

05

Stage 04 970.80 m2 97.0 habitants - 0.40 level

- Urban wetlands system 02 - 6 689.20 m2 - 668 habitants aprox -

01

Stage 02-A 865.20 m2 86.5 habitants 0.00 level

Stage 02-B 1542.50 m2 154.2 habitants - 0.10 level

02

03

Stage 02-B 1130.50 m2 113.0 habitants - 0.20 level

04

Stage 03 2180.20 m2 218.0 habitants - 0.30 level

- Urban wetlands system 03 - 7 930.30 m2 - 793 habitants aprox -

01

Stage 02-A 2 015.00 m2 201.5 habitants - 0.00 level

02

Stage 02-B 1569.70 m2 156.9 habitants - 0.10 level

03

Stage 02-B 1 426.70 m2 142.6 habitants - 020 level

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Stage 03 1 035.40 m2 103.5 habitants - 0.30 level

05

Stage 04 1 883.50 m2 188.3 habitants - 0.40 level

- Urban wetlands system 04 - 5 567.20 m2 - 556 habitants aprox -

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Stage 02-A 1 180m2 118.0 habitants - 0.10 level

02

Stage 02-B3 1151.40m2 115.1 habitants - 0.20 level

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Stage 03 1352.30 m2 125.2 habitants - 030 level

Honors thesis - AA Landscape Urbanism - Veritas

7 Surface main type location C

B

A

Geo-fluidic Landscape : Draining the city Flooding control and vegetation catalog

on site

C

Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

The location of different flooding zones is determined by the required integration with the coast and the current level of flood. The zones are divided in three common surfaces; Hard surface, this surface is made to interact directly with the estuary boats; Mix surface, combine a hard surface for pedestrian circulation and a green leisure space, the final surface a natural flooding park, is a completely green leisure zone in combination with productive landscape.

Current coastal development The north coast is completely privatized and used by the fishing industry, this does not allow its citizens to have a contact with the natural environment of the area, or control over the fish being performed.

Vegetation Catalog

Industry Private Boats

Thought the city new vegetation is located according to the programmatic function.

Two of the main programs are the flooding control and the water treatment.

01

Park - Flooding control Mangroove (Avicennia Germinans) It is used as flood protection system and soil stabilization.

Flooding control typology - 6 689.20 m along the north coast Hard surface - type A 15 m aprox high tide It is created based on a hard edge that allows interaction with the shipping fleet in the area.

They are located along the new industrial edge of town.

Hard surface - type A 15 m aprox Maximun flooding

Icaco (Chrysobalanus) Park

Because the average size is used in the different flooding areas.

Pedestrian path

Manzanillo (Hippomane Mancinella) It is used as a stabilizer of the coast and due to its size makes shadows allowing users permanence.

cycling path Boats

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Pedestrian path - Solar protection Almedro

For its size and ability to produce shadow is placed in the various footpaths of the project.

Park

Palmera

Pedestrian path It is created based on a hard edge that allows interaction with the shipping fleet in the area.

They are located along the new industrial edge of town.

Mix surface - type B 15 m aprox high tide Combines hard surfaces with soft, hard are used to move people across the city with different cycling paths, the green surface combines natural salt-water vegetation with trees providing natural shaded surfaces.

Mix surface - type B 15 m aprox Maximun flooding

They become a landscaped element.

cycling path Boats

03

Productive vegetation - Economic revenue Tomate

Its production is carried out in different areas as hydroponics .

Park

Lechuga

Its production is carried out in different areas as hydroponics .

Pedestrian path cycling path

04

Wetland vegetation - Water treatment Azolla spp

Is used as green manure , animal feed and for mosquito control blocking the water surface.

Park

Carex Spissa

Commonly found in wetlands found in a natural environment.

Combines hard surfaces with soft, hard are used to move people across the city with different cycling paths, the green surface combines natural salt-water vegetation with trees providing natural shaded surfaces.

Natural Flooding park - type C 15 m aprox high tide

Pedestrian path

Natural Flooding park - type C 15 m aprox Maximun flooding

The plant has a root systems that help prevent erosion, and plants are often home to many insects, birds and amphibians.

Park Pedestrian path

A park for retaining the less conflictive zones of the city, contains the most new natural environments of the city, providing new nursery zone for the estuary ecosystem.

Typha

cycling path

Playground

Wetland vegetation Water treatment

Productive vegetation Economic revenue

Pedestrian Path Solar protection

Park Flooding control

04

03

02

01

Camping

Park Pedestrian path

A park for retaining the less conflictive zones of the city, contains the most new natural environments of the city, providing new nursery zone for the estuary ecosystem.

Playground Camping

City Vegetation Section

Honors thesis - AA Landscape Urbanism - Veritas

8

Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Geo-fluidic Landscape : Draining the city Building typology Five basic building configurations develop for the new city configuration; each configuration seeks to have a direct link to the city ground zero, this way all the buildings will have a continuous surface, providing constant circulation thought the city. Each building needs to be modify to reach the basic programmatic needs.

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Commercial Basic Tectonic Single program

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Residenctial Basic Tectonic Multiple programmatic combination

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Educational Basic Tectonic Multiple programmatic combination

04

Cultural Basic Tectonic Multiple programmatic combination

05

Sports Basic Tectonic Single program

Honors thesis - AA Landscape Urbanism - Veritas

9

Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Geo-fluidic Landscape : Draining the city Phasing Masterplan

By introducing the system a displacement of homes takes place along the north coast, the location of these points is due to higher flood risk in this way manage to attack the two main problems. The second stage of growth seeks to consolidate the two coasts of the site, assuming that the treatment system achieves purge the water in an effective way, allowing the development of activities in the estuary. As part of the third intervention strategy, Industry relocates to safer areas; allowing implement new architectural programs and finalizes the flood protection system. This stage functions as a bridge between the first two stages, providing effective flows on the site. In the final phase a second connection between coasts is created. This allows greater integration of the North Shore to the rest of the project.

Five years - Fist phase of development

Ten years - Second phase of development

Fifteen years - Third phase of development

Twenty five years - Final phase of development