ORANJESTAD URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA
Mar 20, 2016
ORANJESTADURBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA
ORANJESTADURBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIADepartment of City + Regional PlanningCPLN 760 Urban Design Studio Fall 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6
1. INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS 19
2. CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN 37
3. WATERFRONT STRUCTURE PLAN 55
4. DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN 87
5. NEIGHBORHOOD STRUCTURE PLAN DETAIL 111
6. CONCLUSIONS + RECOMMENDATIONS 143
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PENNDESIGN 152
STUDIO FACULTY + PARTICIPANTS 153
4 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe Urban Design Vision Plan for Oranjestad was prepared by students in an Urban Design Studio at the University
of Pennsylvania’s Department of City and Regional Planning during Fall Semester 2010. Students in the Departments
of City Planning and Landscape Architecture were responsible for the production of the studio work, with guidance
from their instructor team of Michael Larice, Gary Hack and Jonathan Fogelson. A team of students, recent
graduates, and instructors were responsible for producing this document, which was largely designed and laid out
by Ben Bryant. Special thanks to Sarah Marks and Hannah Bryant, who helped edit and proofread the documents.
The studio was jointly funded by the Government of Aruba, the American Planning Association, and the School of
Design at the University of Pennsylvania. We are grateful to these institutions and their staffs for their generous
support of the studio, as well as their assistance in public charrettes, site tours, client meetings, and public
presentations. We are particularly thankful for the tireless work of Daphne Every from the Aruba Monuments Bureau
and John Reinhardt from the American Planning Association without whose help the studio would not have been
possible. We appreciate the guidance of the many Aruban residents, business owners, and officials who took the
time to engage us in the Aruba workshops and final presentation in Philadelphia. We are grateful to the Oranjestad
Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center for their hospitality and accommodation.
The students and faculty would like to thank the following people and organizations who contributed to the success of the studio:
GOVERNMENT OF ARUBA
Mr. Mike Eman Prime Minister
Mr. Oslin (Benny) Sevinger Minister of Integration, Infrastructure and Environment
Ms. Jocelyne Croes Minister Plenipotentiary
Mr. Emil Herde Advisor to the Minister, Infrastructure Advisory Team Member
Mr. Fredric Every Chief of Staff, Ministry of Integration, Infrastructure and Environment
Ms. Daphne Every Landscape Architect, Aruba Monuments Bureau
5URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION
Mr. Paul Farmer Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. John Reinhardt Program Manager
Mr. Thomas Bassett Program Associate
THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - PENNDESIGN
Ms. Marilyn Jordan Taylor Dean, School of Design
Mr. Chris Cataldo Director of Finance and Administration
Ms. Christine Reid Business Administrator
Ms. Kate Daniel Dept. Coordinator, City and Regional Planning
Ms. Roslynne Carter Admin. Assistant, City and Regional Planning
Ms. Stacy Ritchey Operations Assistant, Office of Operations
Mr. Karl Wellman Director of Operations, Office of Operations
STUDIO CRITICS
Ms. Patty West Landscape Designer, Andropogon Associates, Ltd.
Ms. Susan K. Weiler Partner, The Olin Studio
Prof. Harris Steinberg Director, Penn Praxis, PennDesign
Prof. John Landis Chair, City and Regional Planning, PennDesign
Prof. Laura Wolf Powers Assistant Professor, PennDesign
Prof. Domenic Vitiello Assistant Professor, PennDesign
Prof. Michael Nairn Adjunct Instructor, PennDesign / Urban Studies
Mr. John Robinson PhD Candidate, PennDesign
Prof. David Gouverneur Assistant Professor, PennDesign
Prof. Witold Rybczynski Professor, PennDesign & the Wharton School
Ms. Catherine Bonier PhD Candidate, PennDesign
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS
This Urban Design Vision Plan is the result of
collaboration between an urban design studio at the
University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design, the
Government of Aruba, and the American Planning
Association. The primary objectives of the studio were
educational; to expose and engage students in urban
design issues and skills building exercises that could help
prepare them for future careers in urban design and
planning. The team from UPenn toured the island and
then broke into two groups; with 8 students focusing on
San Nicolas and 13 students focusing on Oranjestad. They
took the results of two Renobacion Urbano workshops
and charrettes and began their analysis of the two cities.
After collecting data and meeting with key stakeholders
they returned to Philadelphia to produce the Vision Plan
you see in front of you. Through first hand observation
and experience, research, and interviews the following
challenges and opportunities were identified for the
central areas of Oranjestad.
Retail Troubles – The economic life of central Oranjestad
is threatened from lack of customers and declining sales.
Difficult Circulation – Travel is difficult in central
Oranjestad. Movement is made difficult by a confusing
series of one-way streets that provide indirect access to
many downtown areas.
Unclear Parking Strategy – Once arriving in downtown
Oranjestad, finding a parking space can be very difficult
unless you know the unmarked territory of back alleys
and surface lots. No clear parking strategy is in place
to guide drivers to parking spaces within close walking
proximity to shopping areas.
Limited Pedestrian/Transit Mobility – Central Oranjestad
suffers from a lack of transportation choice.
Neglected Public Realm – Along the waterfront, in the
neighborhoods, and in the downtown area, Oranjestad’s
public realm suffers from lack of intention and design
effort.
Difficult Wayfinding – From a visitor’s perspective,
wayfinding between downtown Oranjestad, the
waterfront and neighborhoods is lacking. When cruise
passengers exit the terminal area, their welcome to the
city is remarkable for its unattractiveness.
Flooding – Stormwater infrastructure to deal with even
moderate rain events is poor. When it rains, many of
central Oranjestad’s shopping districts and neighborhoods
flood.
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Lack of Neighborhood Amenities – Oranjestad’s central
neighborhoods suffer from neglect. Parks exist in the
neighborhoods, but they are not publically owned.
Other issues of poverty, poor streetscapes, and declining
housing conditions impair the neighborhoods.
Barriers to the Waterfront – Access to the waterfront
for residents living in Oranjestad is inhibited by an
unattractive light industrial district, the inhospitality of
L.G. Smith Boulevard, hurricane fencing, obsolete tank
yards, and the defunct free-trade zone.
Insufficient Cruise Ship Capacity and Unwelcoming Arrival – The cruise ship terminal in Oranjestad is over
capacity and must expand if Aruba wants to increase
its tourist base. For an island that depends so much on
tourism, its physical facilities do not promote visiting its
capital city.
Relocating Container Shipping / Remaking the Waterfront – The container shipping facility in
Oranjestad is moving south to the older port facility at
Barcadera near the airport. Government has indicated
the desire for a multi-use public park facility on the land
that was previously occupied by the container shipping
use, the free trade zone, and the obsolete tank farm.
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN
Several vision statements and design principles emanated
out of the analysis of Central Oranjestad and are
supported by the results of the Renobacion Urbano I
workshop. These Vision Statements should be the guiding
direction of future planning and implementation, while
Design Principles provide educational ideas for achieving
the visions. Five vision statements guide our work in
Central Oranjestad.
Each of these vision statements is supported by several
related design principles. The Central Oranjestad
Vision Plan applies each of these to the various urban
components that make up the plan’s proposals.
Collectively these proposals are presented in a Citywide
Structure Plan diagram.
VISION 1 – MEMORABLE DESTINATION: Oranjestad will be
a memorable Aruban destination for visitors to the island
and local residents who value its contribution to Aruban
identity. Design Principles: 1.1 Historic preservation can
help to retain local character and manage the future of
the downtown area. 1.2 Design guidelines can contribute
to creating a consistent and resonant urban character.
1.3 Iconic buildings and innovative urban design can help
to create new and exciting place identity. 1.4 Public
spaces can provide opportunities for special events,
festivals, and cultural exchange.
VISION 2 – CONNECTED CITY: Oranjestad will be an
accessible and well-connected city that helps visitors and
residents navigate the city with ease. Design Principles: 2.1 A well-connected street network improves direct
access throughout the city. 2.2 A well-coordinated
parking system can help bring customers close to
downtown destinations. 2.3 Streetscape amenities
provide comfortable, safe, and enjoyable pedestrian
experiences – and encourage walking over other means
of transport. 2.4 A balanced multi-modal transportation
system can help reduce auto-congestion and provide
access choice. 2.5 Integrated wayfinding systems can
help users navigate the city.
VISION 3 – VIBRANT LOCAL ECONOMY: Oranjestad will
have a more vibrant and diversified local economy that
benefits visitors seeking the flavor of Aruba and residents
fulfilling everyday needs. Design Principles: 3.1 A
diversified downtown land use mix provides tourists and
locals with a variety of entertainment, retail, and service
options, and helps businesses survive the off-season. 3.2
Strengthening local business supports a vibrant economy
and helps to minimize economic off-island leakage. 3.3
Providing diverse spaces for new startups, workforce
development, business incubation, and educational
opportunities can help support economic development.
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VISION 4 – SUSTAINABLE ORANJESTAD: Oranjestad will
be a more environmentally sustainable city – a place
that can become an example of green leadership for the
larger Caribbean community. Island ecology can be very
difficult to sustain for a growing population and urban
development base. Design Principles: 4.1 Sustainability
planning can help reduce the ecological footprint of
new development and provide suggestions for more
appropriate design solutions. 4.2 Green infrastructure
can offer low impact alternatives that can effectively
manage resources and reduce negative externalities. 4.3 Healthy marine and terrestrial ecosystems improve
environmental quality and can act as attractive
destinations. 4.4 The use of native and drought resistant
plant species can help conserve water resources and
reinforce the natural identity of the island.
VISION 5 – STRONG COMMUNITIES: Oranjestad will
be home to strong and livable communities that
provide a better quality of life for its residents. Design Principles: 5.1 Physical improvements to neighborhood
infrastructure and community spaces can help make
Oranjestad’s neighborhoods more livable. 5.2 Attractive
public spaces create opportunities for community
gathering and encourage pride of place. 5.3 Public
participation allows individuals and community groups
to take ownership of projects. 5.4 Improving access to
social services helps to ensure a greater quality of life
and helps to respond to society’s impenetrable ‘wicked
problems.’
The Oranjestad Citywide Structure Plan is a physical
diagram that shows the arrangement of key proposed
elements of the city organized collectively into a plan.
The structure plan includes all proposals suggested in
this studio and shows how they interconnect and support
each other. Their aim is to connect and invigorate
three distinct regions in the city: the downtown, the
residential neighborhoods, and the waterfront.
CREATING CONNECTIONS: Inherent in the Oranjestad
Citywide Structure Plan is increased connectivity
between people, places, and destinations. Creating the
connections between the different nodes throughout the
city will help to unify the city’s distinct places.
CREATING DESTINATIONS: For Oranjestad to be a
desirable destination for visitors it will need memorable
destinations for both residents and tourists. Both small
and large-scale destinations are proposed for Oranjestad
through the downtown, waterfront, and neighborhoods.
CREATING IMPROVEMENTS: At the heart of these
proposals are efforts to design for a future Oranjestad,
one that celebrates its people and evolving cultural
heritage. In addition to leveraging the many unique
assets of the island, these design proposals also aim
to mitigate some of the city’s problems by improving
existing streets and infrastructure.
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
WATERFRONT STRUCTURE PLAN
This structure plan presents a diagram of four distinct
components designed collectively as one spatial
experience. The four components are: a new cruise ship
terminal; a realignment and residential development
along L.G. Smith Boulevard; a new waterfront park;
and new cultural and research facilities adjacent to the
historic downtown core. At the behest of Government
the lands of the relocated container shipping facility will
be transformed into a waterfront park to serve the needs
of Oranjestad residents. This park will be funded, in part,
by new residential development and research facilities
that help to transform L.G. Smith Boulevard into a better
entry sequence into the city. The site also presents
opportunities for environmental reclamation. The site
was built on fill that extends well beyond the original
Aruban coastline. The extent of toxicity and stability
of this fill is not known. Much of the edge is lined by a
bulkhead up to 2 meters above sea-level, without access
to the water. A new park presents an opportunity to
reclaim coastal habitat and protect the reef.
TWO CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL ALTERNATIVES - One of
the main opportunities for increased tourism is the
Port Authority’s desired increase in cruise ship and
port capacity. The structure plan presents two design
alternatives, each accommodating four megaships (the
desired capacity). The first proposal requires a fifty-
meter bulkhead extension along the existing waterfront,
located adjacent to the park site. This alternative builds
on the existing docking strategy but merely lengthens
it to allow for additional capacity. The second proposal
includes an extended cruise terminal detached from
the existing Port Authority land at the waterfront.
This terminal will be located in the middle of the
existing channel as a floating terminal. This maximizes
uninterrupted waterfront access for both the park and
cultural center and keeps the coastline public at all
times. Regardless, both scenarios account for security
setbacks, tram access to the welcome plaza, bus and
taxi loading, and supporting development around the
terminal.
A REALIGNED L.G. SMITH BOULEVARD WITH NEW RESIDENTAL DEVELOPMENT - L.G. Smith Boulevard is
currently dominated by cars and acts as a barrier to the
waterfront and neighborhoods to the north. The redesign
for L.G. Smith Boulevard is based on the concept of
connecting the waterfront to the city, both physically
and visually. By curving the boulevard, dynamic views are
created while varying the experience and establishing
new development opportunities. The realigned street is
designed as a full boulevard with higher speed traffic in
the center lanes and median-separated side access lanes
for tram functions, cycling, and pedestrians. Twelve new
development blocks are created along the redesigned
L.G. Smith Boulevard. The majority of land use is
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proposed as medium to high density residential to help
finance the public waterfront park. A small percentage
of mixed use commercial is proposed however on the
ground floor at strategic corners and intersections to
entice pedestrian movement from the neighborhoods
to the waterfront park. Parking is provided throughout
the proposal: at the interior of residential blocks, on
side streets, and in a zone between the residential
development and the park. To improve the experience
of walking to the waterfront from the neighborhoods, a
green streets and infill strategy will be used.
A NEW WATERFRONT PARK - With newly available
waterfront land, the government of Aruba has expressed
interest in a new park for the Aruban people. The park
design presented here intends to provide three things:
recreational spaces that celebrate Aruban culture,
ecological habitat for Aruba’s unique flora and fauna,
and beautiful, dramatic spaces to welcome tourists to
the island. The new waterfront park is designed both
as a layered system or right-of-ways, development, and
transition spaces from L.G. Smith Boulevard to buffer
the park, and nodal development along the length of
the park – similar to a string of pearls. Within the park
itself, pavement and planting areas separate oval shaped
recreation and water park spaces. At the coastal edge,
a series of beaches, islands and mangroves provides a
restored natural edge to the park as it meets the sea. A
waterway system between the coast and the islands is a
prime area for kayaking and boating.
NEW CULTURAL AND RESEARCH FACILITIES - Following
the example of other cities like Baltimore, Sydney, and
Chicago that have made public institutions an important
part of their successful waterfronts, Oranjestad would
benefit from including anchor institutions within the
port redevelopment. The best implementation of this
strategy would be to encourage institutional uses that
have both entertainment and research components. On
the southern side of L.G. Smith Boulevard, the major
attraction is the Aquarium of the Caribbean, which
stands apart from other such cultural attractions by
allowing visitors to have an interactive experience with
marine life. The adjacent community water garden, tide
pools, and mangroves further emphasize this point by
providing outdoor spaces for interacting with the natural
environment and learning about local marine ecosystems.
On the north side of L.G. Smith Boulevard is a productive
landscape that is driven by an emerging technology,
Seawater Greenhouses. A Seawater Greenhouse creates
an ideal growing condition for all types of crops, from
vegetables and fruits to flowers, producing fresh water in
the process. As such, the entire site is envisioned as both
a production and research facility. An elaborate version
of this Seawater Greenhouse system, placed in front of
the aquarium, can provide a public exhibition space.
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN
Five key issues and constraints helped shape the design
interventions for the Downtown Structure Plan: a poor
pedestrian environment; vehicular congestion; an unclear
parking strategy; difficulty in wayfinding; and neglected
or underutilized amenities. Fundamentally, the structure
plan for Downtown Oranjestad is about enhancing
circulation and increasing amenity. To this end, four
major proposals are offered for the downtown area.
Three of these, a re-imagining of the area surrounding
the lagoon as a sculpture garden, the redesign of the
relationship between downtown and the marina, and
new plaza spaces to welcome visitors and celebrate the
island’s native flora are site-specific. The fourth proposal
is a set of streetscape typologies and modified circulation
patterns that improve vehicular access, pedestrian
comfort, and safety for all users of the public realm.
To be an accessible city, downtown Oranjestad will need
to provide for both automobile and pedestrian access.
Ensuring a well populated downtown means providing
access for multiple modes of transportation, including
automobiles and pedestrians. In addition to efficient
traffic circulation, downtown Oranjestad will also need
an adequate parking system to accommodate cars. While
several parking lots currently exist in the downtown
area, many drivers also use empty and vacant property
as informal parking lots. Several proposed parking lots
would be located behind new development within a half
block walk of downtown shopping. No less important
is a successful pedestrian circulation strategy that will
attract foot-traffic throughout downtown.
DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPE STRATEGY AND INITIATIVES
- The primary function of the Streetscape Plan is to
make downtown Oranjestad a more pleasant place
for pedestrians while still accommodating cars and
other modes of transit. This plan is in addition to
the ongoing design and planning for Main Street. The
Downtown Streetscape Plan includes four streetscape
typologies that can be used across the downtown as
needed. Each typology can serve a different function: 1.
Wilhelminastraat as a key historic corridor and vehicular
artery; 2. Restaurant Row as a street dedicated to
outdoor dining, cafes and hanging out; 3. Feeder Streets
that have wider sidewalks to accommodate pedestrians,
as well as curbside parking; and, 4. Service Streets that
are narrow improved alleyways.
TRAM AND PLAZA INITIATIVES - The current entry
sequence from the cruise ship terminal into the city is
less than ideal. Cruise ship passengers pass through an
inelegant barbed wire security gate before arriving at
an unappealing taxi drop off. Signage and wayfinding to
direct visitors to the downtown is non-existent. This is
not an experience that Aruba deserves and it endangers
the economic livelihood of downtown shopkeepers and
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the city as a whole. This proposal finishes the tram
streetscape from Plaza Daniel Leo to the cruise ship
terminal, including a Welcome Plaza at the intersection
of L.G. Smith Boulevard and the cruise terminal street,
and a national botanical garden at Museum Plaza. The
streetscape between the plazas will utilize the strategy
of heavily planted street trees to provide a shade canopy.
DOWNTOWN MARINA INITIATIVES - The Oranjestad
downtown marina site extends along L.G. Smith
Boulevard from the lagoon to the new Welcome Plaza.
The final design of the downtown marina site highlights
four key contributions that could make this area into
a vibrant place and most importantly, into an Aruban
destination. These four design interventions are: 1.
streetscape enhancements along L.G. Smith Boulevard;
2. a continuous and uninterrupted boardwalk around the
marina; 3. new commercial venues between the street
and marina; and, 4. a large radial plaza spanning from
the Parliament building to the water’s edge. L.G. Smith
Boulevard is the most heavily trafficked road in Aruba
and needs traffic calming through signalization, improved
crossings and better lighting. Lining the boulevard with
a dramatic row of date palms closely planted on each
side can provide needed shade and structure to the
street. The plan calls for the boardwalk to be expanded
and continued around the entire marina. The design
also recommends new double-sided buildings to be
constructed, where retail shops can face L.G. Smith
while cafes, bars and restaurants can face the marina.
On the northwest part of the site next to the currently
abandoned condo building, a large market hall can be
constructed serving fresh food products. Lastly, the
space in front of the Parliament building can be utilized
in such a way to create a multi-purpose public gathering
space as well as call attention to the Parliament’s place
in Oranjestad. The semi-circular plaza will extend from
the front door of Parliament in a radiating pattern to the
boardwalk.
LAGOON INITIATIVES - The re-envisioning of Oranjestad’s
lagoon as a landscaped sculpture walk is designed
to provide a new cultural amenity for residents and
visitors alike, while improving pedestrian access
between downtown and adjacent neighborhoods. The
streets around the lagoon will be redesigned to give
increased priority to non-motorized traffic and improved
streetscapes. Running the length of the lagoon itself,
a new series of paved pathways will guide pedestrians
along a series of well-placed sculptures, which are
carefully placed in the landscape. The parkland
surrounding the lagoon will be shaped into distinct spaces
using both the natural topography of the site and varying
levels of native vegetation. A series of grand lawns at
the southwestern end of the site invite residents to
engage in informal play and relaxation.
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
NEIGHBORHOOD STRUCTURE PLAN
Playa Pa’ Bao is a region located directly adjacent
to downtown Oranjestad that is comprised of four
discrete neighborhoods: Rancho, Socotoro, Madiki, and
Santa Helena. While each neighborhood has different
characteristics, they function together as a system
connected physically, economically, and socially. On
the regional scale, the two primary networks impacting
Playa Pa’ Bao are the transportation and environmental
systems. There are a number of problems with the street
network in Playa Pa’ Bao, which promotes a culture of
auto-dependence and discourages other modes of travel
within, between, and outside of the neighborhoods. In
terms of environmental systems, Playa Pa’ Bao is central
to the natural ecology of the Oranjestad region. The
area lies on some of the flattest land in Aruba and suffers
from serious flooding during heavy rain. Altogether, the
projects of the structure plan address these issues, but
are not necessarily a demonstration of neighborhood
improvement which will work everywhere but
illustrations for how to approach neighborhood planning
in general.
Playa Pa’Bao will be connected to the waterfront
initiative as well as the downtown area by a proposed
tram loop. The tram also brings potential mixed use and
commercial development along Weststraat, enhancing
residents’ economic opportunity and retail choices. The
Green Necklace is another major initiative that addresses
the hydrologic, public space, and ecological needs of
the area. Building on an existing stormwater-course
that begins on the eastern boundary of the site, the
Green Necklace proposal will be a continuous bioswale
and pedestrian boardwalk that bisects the east-west
axis of Playa Pa’ Bao. The circulation strategy aims
to make the streets of Rancho, Socotoro, Santa Helena
and Madiki more accommodating to all users including
pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and public transit
riders. The biggest change to proposed circulation is
to make Driemasterstraat and Weststraat alternating
one-way roads. This is done to accommodate a one way
tram on Weststraat and a green bio-swale corridor on
Driemasterstraat. In Rancho, Dutch style woonerfs will
create shared spaces for motorists and pedestrians.
HYDROLOGIC INITIATIVES - To help mitigate the
stormwater problems faced by the neighborhoods of
Playa Pa’ Bao, we propose developing an integrated
approach to stormwater management. Instead of
expanding sewer capacity, we propose a system of
green infrastructure that will reduce the volume of
water entering existing sewers. At the center of our
hydrological plan is a green necklace, a recreation and
stormwater management system which runs through
the heart of the neighborhoods from east to west. This
hydrologic system includes the following elements:
stormwater bioswales, recreation trails, retention sites,
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rain gardens, and underground cisterns. Madiki Square is
an example of how new gathering points can be plugged
into the corridor. The square would include a basketball
court, chess tables, and a new playground for Madiki.
The planted swale running through the square would
retain water and create a place where people can rest
and relax
STREETSCAPE AND WOONERF INITIATIVES - The plans
approach neighborhood streets on two levels: 1. as an
integrated network within Playa Pa’ Bao; and, 2. on a
site level that includes the complete detailing of the
urban design changes needed to create a woonerf system
in Rancho. The first major proposal is for a tram to run
north on Weststraat, southwest along Belige Straat,
and back to the existing bus station. The second major
proposal is for a green street along Dreimasterstraat to
assist with water management issues. The third proposal
is for a more defined network of streets that streamlines
traffic movement. The Rancho woonerf plan provides a
detailed proposal for how the street can be redesigned as
a single surface space that integrates traffic calming and
social space within the public realm of the street. Simply
put, a woonerf is designed as a shared street.
THE CENTER FOR SEA AND COMMUNITY - The Center for
Sea and Community is a neighborhood based economic
development project that is sensitive to the history and
traditions of Playa Pa’ Bao. This project re-establishes a
historic connection to the sea and has the potential to
create a high-value product with benefits for community
residents. A Queen Conch farm pays for itself through the
potential generation of 2.5 million in revenue annually,
creates jobs, and funds a community center. While
several different species can be farmed in a maricultural
operation, the Queen Conch is most suitable. It has
long been part of traditional cuisine on the island and is
locally available. Next to the conch farm, plans call for
a restaurant that serves traditional and innovative conch
dishes.
XAVIER UNIVERSITY PARK EXPANSION - The Xavier
University Park proposal includes the expansion of
academic facilities on the vacant residential lots
adjacent to the current medical school as well as a
central park easily accessible to nearby residents. The
park would not only establish the University as an
exciting new anchor for Oranjestad, but would also
create much-needed public spaces and help manage the
city’s stormwater.
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
CONCLUSIONS + RECOMMENDATIONS
This Urban Design Vision Plan for Oranjestad focuses on
the specific challenges and development opportunities
of Oranjestad’s central area districts: the downtown,
the waterfront, and adjacent neighborhoods. It provides
a series of citywide and area structure plans that
provide diagrammatic organization of key infrastructure
interventions and project development suggestions. Most
of the designs are illustrative in nature and suggest a set
of ideas about how to approach developing the city or
specific project sites. To achieve the visions detailed in
this plan a set of strategies is recommended as a means
of advancing an implementation process. The most
crucial and path-dependent strategies are listed first,
followed by more discrete and independent strategies
that can happen concurrent with other efforts.
1. DECIDE THE ROLE AND CHARACTER OF THE DOWNTOWN BRAND: What is the identity of Oranjestad?
And how can we shape its brand through well-considered
policies and planning action. This first strategy will
require that government and community leaders come to
the table to decide on the city’s role in the future of the
island, establish a brand for the city, and determine goals
that move beyond the general vision.
2. CREATE THE INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY FOR LOCAL PLANNING: Currently, no localized city
planning institutions or functions exist within the
City of Oranjestad. By far this is the most significant
shortcoming in moving forward with the implementation
of a comprehensive vision plan for the city. The
Government should establish a local planning office in
each of the primary cities of the island and staff it with
at least a person serving in the role of a City Manager. A
small staff of junior planners can assist this City Manager
in the short term until some key documents, plans and
implementation processes have been established to
get Oranjestad moving in the direction of achieving its
visions.
3. CREATE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES & DECLARE A SPECIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT: In addition
to the need for a local planning agency, the downtown
would benefit greatly from a set of guidelines that could
help in directing future development decisions. These
guidelines could also be part of the regulatory package
associated with the establishment of a special Downtown
Historic District. A special downtown Historic District
designation would help in coordinating the many design
and planning initiatives underway and avoid some of
the neglect that other areas are experiencing in the
downtown.
17
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
4. WORK DIRECTLY WITH PARTNERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS: The importance of community
participation has proven itself valuable in the two
Renobacion Urban conferences and must be maintained.
Government should be partnering closely with two
agencies in particular to help in redeveloping both the
physical and economic structure of the downtown: the
Aruba Port Authority, and the Downtown Merchants
Association.
5. COMMUNICATE THE VISION REGULARLY TO CREATE AN AIR OF OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY: To be
owned by the community and public officials, the visions
suggested in this (or any future vision plan) should be
communicated and reiterated on a regular basis.
6. SEQUENCE THE ESSENTIAL CATALYSTS AND PLANNING NEEDED FOR SUSTAINABLE CHANGE: Many
of the proposals included herein depend on other
actions prior to their construction. If not phased and
sequenced properly, subsequent investments may be used
inefficiently. These 4 planning and infrastructure efforts
are not to be taken lightly and include: 1. a Stormwater
Management Plan; 2. a Circulation and Transportation
Management Plan; 3. a. Downtown Parking Plan; and, 4.
a Public Realm Improvement Plan.
7. DETERMINE THE DESIRED EXTENT OF THE TRAM SYSTEM: Connecting the new tram system to the
neighborhoods and waterfront will help bring people to
downtown shopping with no added pressure on parking.
However, this will require study, financial analysis,
funding, and design investigation. Implementing an
expanded tram system is a big decision on the part of
Government and will require a good deal of social and
economic capital.
8. PRIORITIZE AND IMPLEMENT DISCRETE PROJECT PROPOSALS: Even before key infrastructure systems
are planned and implemented, several of the design
proposals within this vision plan could be constructed,
since they have marginal dependency on these larger
systems.
9. START WHERE IT’S EASIEST: To create support for
later large scale developments, government leaders
should try to complete some of the simpler projects that
can let people see the vision for Oranjestad coming to
life.
INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS1URBAN DESIGN STUDIOS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
THE ARUBA URBAN DESIGN STUDIO
INTRODUCTION TO THE COUNTRY AND CITY
CITYWIDE CHALLENGES + OPPORTUNITIES
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 201020
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDIO
URBAN DESIGN STUDIOS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
This Urban Design Vision Plan is the result of
collaboration between an urban design studio at the
University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design, the
Government of Aruba, and the American Planning
Association. The studio was comprised of 21 city
planning and landscape architecture students, two
professors, and two assistant instructors. The primary
objectives of the studio were educational; to expose
students to urban design issues and skills building
exercises that could help prepare them for future careers
in urban design and planning. Other than a handful of
students with undergraduate design experience, most of
the course participants had little previous experience in
studio project design. They came to this introductory
studio with prerequisite design knowledge, including
courses in design computing, urban design research
methods, neighborhood planning practice, and other
foundational city planning and landscape courses. In
parallel to these educational objectives, design goals
in our urban design studios typically take a pragmatic
and real-world approach to addressing challenges and
solving problems presented by our clients. Our studios
incorporate a wide variety of professional perspectives,
including development, economic and political concerns.
Urban design at UPenn is typically explored through an
expansive sustainability filter, looking at the full panoply
of social, economic and environmental issues.
The academic studio setting can provide our clients
with an opportunity to explore options and urban design
issues in a low-pressure / low-key manner that helps
to avoid potentially uncomfortable airing of issues and
design discussions in public. Studio products from UPenn
typically consist of formal presentations to the client,
coupled with a printed document that summarizes
studio outputs. Clients have the right to use the final
documents produced by the students as they see fit, with
no restriction on the right of UPenn or its students to
reproduce or use the work for personal or institutional
purposes. UPenn has a long history of client-funded
studios, which helps to differentiate it from other U.S.
urban design programs. As an academic studio, the
project had a final end date in December 2010, after
which the students departed and were not expected to
further engage in the studio project and deliverables.
This is different from standard project consulting, where
consultants can be retained over an extended period.
Several students, however, continued to work on the
project documentation and presentations in Aruba.
A group of professionals from the June 2010 conference and workshop tour Oranjestad
21
INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
THE ARUBA URBAN DESIGN STUDIO
In June 2010 the American Planning Association and the
Government of Aruba coordinated a conference and
workshop on a vision for the future of several areas
of central Oranjestad. The conference was attended
by academics and planning professionals from around
the world, government officials, and members of the
public. Two days of presentations on various urban
design and planning topics were followed by several
days of public workshop and presentation. At the
end of the conference, a set of recommendations
was made by the professional consultants about how
Aruba should move forward in planning the central
area of Oranjestad, including the development of a
coordinated vision and structure plan. In discussion
with the Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure
after the conference concluded, representatives from
UPenn´s School of Design agreed to hold a fall semester
urban design studio to address the production of this
document for Oranjestad, in addition to participating
in a 2nd Renobacion Urbano Conference and Workshop,
this time focusing on the town of San Nicolas. As with
the Oranjestad conference, the American Planning
Association took the lead on coordinating the Renobacion
Urbano II conference and producing a summary document
of that event, while UPenn took the lead on producing
the Urban Design Vision Plans for the cities of Oranjestad
and San Nicolas. This document is the vision plan for
Oranjestad.
The studio delegation from the University of Pennsylvania
arrived in Aruba for a 12 day orientation and site visit
during the second week of September 2010. After
touring the island on the first day, the team participated
in the Renobacion Urbano II Conference in San Nicolas,
which was held in a government building in the center
of town. Students and faculty presented on a variety of
topics, including: downtown entertainment districts,
neighborhood planning, sustainable environmental
issues, and industrial redevelopment. Within these
presentations, case study examples pertinent to
the issues of San Nicolas were presented to provide
inspiration and possibility. Conference attendees from
the community and government joined the students and
faculty in lively discussion. On the second day of the
conference a public charrette was held with conference
participants to discuss key issues of interest, approaches
to any future planning efforts, and design directions for
several geographical areas of San Nicolas. The results of
the charrette were presented to the public in San Nicolas
(after a dramatic rain delay) a couple of nights later.
Compared to the earlier Oranjestad conference, the San
Nicolas event was better attended by local residents and
was much livelier, with impassioned debate and historical
frustrations rising through discussion. Despite early
skepticism on the part of local participants, they left the
event with some degree of hope that the studio’s effort
would prove fruitful. Over the next week, those students
assigned to the San Nicolas Vision Plan toured a variety
Community members sharing thoughts and ideas during the San Nicolas charrette
Studio instructors, students and community members during the September trip to Aruba
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 201022
CHAPTER 1
of local sites, including the Valero Refinery, valued
environmental resources, neighborhoods, and business
areas. The data, context analysis and vision plan for San
Nicolas will be presented in a separate document from
this one, which focuses on central Oranjestad.
While 8 students continued to focus on San Nicolas
during the second week, 13 students were assigned
to Oranjestad and met with local officials, toured
various sites, and discussed the future of the central
area with local stakeholders. Students were divided
into three groups and focused their attention on the
historic downtown area, the port facility waterfront,
and the adjacent neighborhoods to the northwest
(Rancho, Madiki, Santa Helena, and Socotoro). They
were instructed that their work must be integrated
with ongoing efforts in the central area, including
incorporation of the Main Street urban design and tram
projects, Parliament expansion, and the relocation of
the port facility. The studio worked in the city’s history
and archaeology museum with the assistance of officials
from the Aruba Monuments Bureau. Meetings were held
there with representatives from the Infrastructure Team
and the downtown merchants association. A small group
of students toured the port facility under the guidance of
the Port Authority leadership. After getting soaked by a
torrential downpour, they were able to learn about failed
efforts to redevelop the port, as well as future desires
to build a new cruise terminal and expand cruise ship
capacity. Extensive site reconnaissance visits allowed
other students to map downtown and neighborhood
areas, chat with locals, and discuss strategy. Throughout
the week, the studio was able to witness firsthand the
effects of heavy rain events on the city – seeing the
effects of rapid flooding, standing water, and ineffective
stormwater drainage. For both the San Nicolas and
Oranjestad students, the visit to Aruba helped foster a
change in the minds of some of the students. No longer
was this merely a studio about tourism opportunities on a
posh Caribbean island, but instead it became an exercise
in representing the needs of residents, solving real
problems on the island, and providing a workable vision.
Students from the University of Pennsylvania touring Aruba in September 2010
23
INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
On returning to Philadelphia, the real work of the studio
began. In the first weeks back, students undertook
a site and context analysis of both cities, identifying
key issues and challenges that would become the
prioritized problem statements for the studio. This was
presented to a small group of faculty at the University
of Pennsylvania, who provided comments and suggested
clarifications. This effort was then used as the base
information for creating vision statements and design
principles that would guide later design efforts. These
two exercises took the greater part of four weeks in
the studio, before the students began work on group
structure plans for the various geographical areas where
they had previously chosen to work. Students worked in
these groups for the rest of the semester, breaking off
to work individually on specific sites within each group
area. Each student worked circularly between the group
structure plan scale and the individual site scale for a
couple weeks. At the midterm review in late October,
the students presented their structure plans for each of
five geographical areas in the two cities. The structure
plans for each city showed the collective changes
suggested by each group, and indicated the design
direction of their individual projects as well. For the
remainder of the semester, groups and individuals worked
with their instructors to refine their ideas and designs.
The final presentation took place in mid-December
in Philadelphia. It was attended by many of the
government officials who participated in both Renobacion
Urbano conferences, along with UPenn faculty, invited
guests and design critics from around Philadelphia. The
presentations took place over two days. The first night
of the presentation provided a summary of the work
over the semester, highlighting both the process and the
products of the studio. This presentation was incredibly
well attended, and began with comments from School
of Design Dean Marilyn Taylor, APA Director Paul Farmer,
Minister Benny Sevinger, and the studio instructors.
Lively discussion was followed by a reception and dinner
for invited guests. During the next day, the work from
San Nicolas was presented in the morning, followed
by Oranjestad in the afternoon. Coming into this
presentation, a good degree of skepticism existed on the
part of the client, with respect to the ability of students
to provide professional level urban design suggestions
that would be taken seriously back on the island. Closing
comments suggested the studio had easily overcome
these worries and that the students had far exceeded
expectations and surprised our client. In early 2011, the
work was hung in an exhibition space in Oranjestad prior
to a UPenn delegation returning to Aruba to present the
work in March 2011.
The Aruban delegation, studio instructors and invited critics review final student projects at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia
Studio instructors and critics discuss student work from the final review
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 201024
CHAPTER 1
SITE + CONTEXT ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION TO THE ISLAND + CITY
Located 27 kms north of Venezuela, the island nation
of Aruba is one of a string of islands that make up the
Leeward Antilles with Curaçao and Bonaire. As part of
the larger Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba is a 33 km
long island stretching roughly in a northwest to southeast
direction. The southern coast is anchored centrally by
the capital city of Oranjestad, with multi-national tourist
development on the northwest coast and industrial
refinery development at the southeast around the city of
San Nicolas. The island has an arid landscape dominated
by various species of thorn tree and cactus, along with
a hot and humid climate. The written history of Aruba
dates back to its first contact by the Spanish in the late
15th Century. Dutch administration of the island began
in 1636 under Peter Stuyvesant and continues today,
although it enjoys special status as an independent
country.
Aruba has a hybrid culture formed by its history of
settlement and colonization, including influences
by the indigenous Arawak, the Spanish, Dutch and
English, immigrants from South America and other
Caribbean islands, and a large non-permanent tourist
base. Part of this mixed culture can be seen in its
two official languages: Papiemento and Dutch, with
English being spoken widely in business and government
settings. Compared to other Caribbean islands, Aruba
has a particularly high standard of living with low
unemployment. Nearly ¾ of its gross national product
comes from tourism, with the rest coming from oil
refining, services, and local products. Concerns about the
quality of urban life, a desire to diversify the economy
and increase domestic incomes, a need for infrastructure
upgrading and stormwater control, water resource and
desalinization issues, and the reinforcement of local
place character in new project design are some of the
key challenges faced by the island. Imported Curaçao style architecture in downtown
Typical native landscape and vegetation
25
INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
Aruba Located in the southern Carribean Sea, the island is part of the Leeward Antilles and sits just off the coast of Venezuela. The two major cities are the capital of Oranjestad and San Nicolas.
Oranjestad
San Nicolas
10km
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 201026
CHAPTER 1
Established as Fort Zoutman in the late 18th Century,
Oranjestad has grown into the island’s port of entry for
air and cruise ship travel. For the majority of the nearly
700,000 annual visitors to Aruba each year, downtown
Oranjestad is their first glimpse of the island. The town
was officially given the name Oranjestad in honor of
the royal Dutch House of Orange in 1820. In addition
to being Aruba’s administrative capital, Oranjestad
has grown from a modest port and fishing town to a
sprawling low density service city that reaches far into
the interior of the island. Today, Oranjestad is home to
about one third of all Arubans. Landfill at the water’s
edge has enabled the city to expand from its original
town center along Wilhelminastraat, adding land where
L.G. Smith Boulevard and the most active part of the
marina and hotel zone are now located. Over time the
primary shopping district along Main Street has lost its
customer base, which has shifted closer to the cruise
ship terminal to catch foot traffic. Along with a lack of
repair and regular upkeep, this has left the downtown’s
public realm as a rather vacant and under-utilized
area. Oranjestad today is a city of contrasts: well-
preserved colonial and art-deco architecture stands
aside inauthentic Curacao-style buildings and mid-
century tear-downs; an increasingly busy cruise ship
calendar transports thousands of visitors, yet the city’s
primary shopping district goes begging for customers.
In addition to economic and identity issues, the city is
home to neighborhoods with troubling drug problems,
homelessness, poverty, and an ineffective public
infrastructure system that regularly floods. Several
recent decisions will help to catalyze new opportunity
for the city: moving the container shipping facility to
the east at Barcadero, a new tram system that will carry
cruise ship passengers to a new welcome center and Main
Street shopping area; new streetscape and plaza designs
for downtown, and an expansion of the parliament
buildings. Together with the suggestions made in this
vision plan, these change-making projects will provide a
new context for central Oranjestad.
CITYWIDE CHALLENGES + OPPORTUNITIES
Through first hand observation and experience, research,
and interviews the following challenges and opportunities
were identified for the central areas of Oranjestad.
Several meetings were held with business owners, public
officials, key stakeholders, and residents to identify the
key issues vexing the city. Some of these were physical
in nature, others were functional, and yet others were
management oriented. Some of the key problems we
identified were applicable on a citywide basis, while
others were isolated to specific locations. The outline
below summarizes these issues in a clear and concise
manner, but has not been prioritized. To respond to these
challenges will require a coordinated strategy that can
build a stronger central Oranjestad holistically over time.
Downtown OranjestadView of downtown Oranjestad
Commercial ActivityRetail storefronts often lack place-based design elements and a character that builds a healthy and strong sense of place
27
INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
The proposals that come later in this vision plan will
provide both catalytic and systemic solutions to these
challenges. In this section, the key challenges across the
city are presented, along with opportunities where they
might exist.
Retail Troubles – The economic life of central Oranjestad
is threatened from lack of customers and declining
sales. Two solutions are suggested here: 1. Building
an enlarged customer base to provide for greater
sales; and 2. Building a more diverse retail base that
customers might find interesting. With respect to the
first goal, tourists from cruise ships are often intercepted
before reaching main street businesses and many of
the attractions that used to be downtown have moved
to the northern end of the island. Parking is difficult,
which encourages shoppers to go where vehicular
access is more convenient. Pedestrian connections
to the neighborhoods are ill-defined and discourage
local shoppers from accessing much of the downtown.
The second goal of improving retail mix, however,
is the greater issue. A number of problems hinder
this. Retail shopping hours need to be extended, so
that those working during the day can access shops
after 6 pm. The retail mix needs to be expanded to
offer retail experiences that will attract tourists to
downtown, including local Aruban craft and art sales.
The downtown is not a fun place. Few food, beverage,
and entertainment venues exist in great enough number
residents
workers
cruise ship passengers
JAN
7,924
FEB
7,688
MAR
7,819
APR
6,902
MAY
5,116
JUN
5,121
JUL
5,057
AUG
5,140
SEPT
5,128
OCT
5,925
NOV
7,449
DEC
7,417
for the downtown to become an attraction for visitors.
Retail in the public realm which reinforces retail
synergy, such as cafes, kiosks, food carts, and vendors,
is non-existent (except for a single batido kiosk at
Plaza Commercio). And most importantly, the whole of
downtown is not perceived as a desirable destination,
neither in terms of design, retail content, or experience.
Vacant StreetsRetail streets devoid of pedestrians in downtown Oranjestad
Fluctuating PopulationThe average daily population in Oranjestad is made up of a high percentage of workers relative to residents, and fluctuates throughout the year due to visitors from the cruise ships
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 201028
CHAPTER 1
Retail
Commercial
Government
Religious
Historic
Residential
Food + Beverage
Arts + Entertainment
Hospitality
Parking
Vacant Buildings
Vacant Lots
Land UseThe land use plan for downtown Aruba shows a strong commercial core with the potential to add transit, capitalize on proximity to the cruise ships, and better serve the needs of local residents
29
INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
Difficult Circulation – Travel is difficult in central
Oranjestad. Movement is hindered by a confusing series
of one-way streets that provide indirect access to many
downtown areas. Vehicles are sometimes forced to drive
much longer distances to arrive at destinations because
of these one-way streets. In addition, the circulation
network depends on the use of narrow back alleys and
streets to access parking and properties in mid-block
areas. The few streets entering the capital city are
heavily congested, especially on L.G. Smith Boulevard
and Main Street. Since Aruba has very few controlled
street intersections, crossing the street for pedestrians
can often be very difficult and sometimes dangerous.
Poor viewsheds at intersections are dangerous for both
pedestrians and vehicles.
Unclear Parking Strategy – Once arriving in downtown
Oranjestad, finding a parking space can be very difficult
unless you know the unmarked territory of back alleys
and surface lots. No clear parking strategy is in place
to guide drivers to parking spaces within close walking
proximity to shopping areas. In addition, ad hoc parking
overwhelms pedestrian space in some areas, with cars
parking on sidewalks and any available vacant land in
the city. While the parking situation is currently difficult,
sufficient land exists in mid-block areas behind shops to
create a clearly marked and efficient parking system. In
addition, the construction of a parking structure near the
new Welcome Plaza will alleviate the parking situation
somewhat, and provide parking for employees so they
don’t park in valued customer parking areas.
Limited Pedestrian/Transit Mobility – Central Oranjestad
suffers from a lack of transportation choice. While
serving downtown in an ad hoc manner, public transit
does not directly serve neighborhood residents very
well. Rather, bus stops are located along the periphery
of neighborhoods, with long distances to walk from
residential streets. Sidewalks in both the downtown area
and the neighborhoods are a mixed bag: sometimes non-
existent, at other times cracked and poorly maintained,
at most times dirty and in need of cleaning. An
unbelievably wide variety of pavement materials in the
downtown muddles its physical identity. More troubling
are the lack of marked crosswalks anywhere in the city.
Cycling facilities in the form of bike lanes or bike parking
are non-existent. Given the flatness and close proximity
of neighborhoods and destinations in Oranjestad, cycling
could provide a fast and direct means of access for many
residents to the downtown and waterfront area.
ParkingAd hoc parking can be found on many sidewalks within the City, as no clear parking strategy exists
Pedestrian ExperienceMany streets in the downtown area do not have adequate accomodations for pedestrians
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 201030
CHAPTER 1
Neglected Public Realm – Along the waterfront, in the
neighborhoods, and in the downtown area, Oranjestad’s
public realm suffers from lack of intention and design
effort. While attention is being paid to the improvement
of Main Street, most other central areas require renewal
as well. Pedestrian space is deteriorated; parks are
few in number; the city’s tree canopy is inconsistent
and disconnected. The public realm is poorly outfitted
with street furniture, such as benches, lighting, trash
receptacles, bollards, kiosks, and signage. Vacant
parcels provide areas for dumping, litter and the
proliferation of parked cars. Trees lean dangerously
in some areas with their roots damaging sidewalks.
Maintenance of previous urban design efforts in the
downtown is poor, and can be witnessed in a number of
broken benches, cracked planters, broken lights, and
damaged trees. Most problematic is the lack of shade in
Aruba’s hot and humid climate. Trees and awnings are
not used effectively to create a continuous canopy to
provide shade and comfort for pedestrians, on sidewalks
or in plaza areas. Cafes and other places to socialize
in public are non-existent. Intentional streetscapes,
particularly on L.G. Smith Blvd and other key downtown
streets, could help to make the city more walkable and
attractive.
Aging Public RealmPoorly maintained public realm elements can be found throughout the city.
Public Realm MaintenanceSidewalks that are poorly maintained in neighborhoods can become impassable as nature reclaims the concrete
VacanciesA vacant lot in Oranjestad, where lack of maintenance and care provides a canvas for graffiti
31
INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
Difficult Wayfinding – From a visitor’s perspective,
wayfinding between downtown Oranjestad, the
waterfront and neighborhoods is lacking. When cruise
passengers exit the terminal area, their welcome to the
city is remarkable for its unattractiveness: a barbed
wire control point, shacks that sell tourist trinkets,
taxis and shuttles elbowing each other for space, a
fast moving and ugly urban arterials, and no clear
signage to reach downtown. Getting to Main Street is
difficult not just for its lack of signage, but also for
the difficulty in negotiating L.G. Smith Blvd. If a visitor
should find downtown, no signage exists to orient
visitors to attractions, plazas, or historic sites. The city
of Oranjestad is difficult to understand for the visitor.
Poor signage, a lack of information, an unclear welcome
sequence, and ineffective wayfinding does not help this.
Flooding – Stormwater infrastructure to deal with even
moderate rain events is poor. When it rains, many of
central Oranjestad’s shopping districts and neighborhoods
flood – causing mobility, health, and sanitation
problems. In the downtown area, surface drainage to
the waterfront translates to fast moving water that
builds rapidly at too few drainage inlets. At times
this flooding damages both shops and residences that
are located at grade. While some areas of downtown,
Rancho and Madiki are outfitted with sub-grade drainage
systems, these facilities are ad hoc and not integrated
into a comprehensive citywide system. In the outlying
neighborhood areas, standing water pools and turns
stagnant over time. Most damaging is the surface
drainage that empties in outfalls directly to the harbor,
lagoon, and waterfront. This untreated stormwater
damages water quality and endangers marine and reef
life along Aruba’s southern coast. To protect future
investments from flooding and damage, a comprehensive
stormwater infrastructure system is a priority for the
city.
FloodingA lack of a comprehensive stormwater infrastructure system causes flooding that impedes circulation, and damages private property and the public realm
Stormwater FlowFlood water passes through Playa Pa’Bao, eventually dumping into the ocean, as a result of regional topography and a lack of stormwater infrastructure
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 201032
CHAPTER 1
Lack of Neighborhood Amenities – Oranjestad’s central
neighborhoods suffer from neglect. Parks exist in the
neighborhoods, but they are not publically owned. A
desire for public park space is evident from dumped
furniture arranged in the shady areas of vacant lots
by local residents in order to congregate. The public
realm of the neighborhoods is poorly outfitted with few
amenities. Sidewalks, street trees, sitting areas, lighting,
and the basic features of the public realm are missing.
Places to come together as a community are not evident.
The lack of a community center for events, education,
and public meetings is a noticeable shortcoming.
While some residents take pride in maintaining their
properties, urban poverty and vacancy has reduced other
properties to unacceptable disrepair. The pathologies
of poverty can be seen in drug dealing, homelessness,
and a nascent sex trade forming in some places. Lack
of physical connections between the neighborhoods,
surrounding areas, university, waterfront and downtown
only deepens this divide.
Barriers to the Waterfront – Access to the waterfront
for residents living in Oranjestad is inhibited by a series
of physical barriers. Between the neighborhoods and
a potentially renewed waterfront are: an unattractive
light industrial district, the inhospitality of L.G. Smith
Boulevard, hurricane fencing, obsolete tank yards,
and the defunct free-trade zone. The light industrial
zone to the north of the arterial provides no pedestrian
amenity and is an unpleasant walking experience with
few creature comforts. The land uses are auto oriented
and surface parking lots dominate this zone. Crossing
L.G. Smith Boulevard itself can be a death-defying
feat of traffic negotiation and timing. No controlled or
marked pedestrian crossings exist. Drivers are known
to be unforgiving to pedestrians trying to cross the
street to the waterfront. Access to the waterfront
is currently controlled at only two points along the
kilometer long stretch of road, and public access is not
allowed. Breaking down these barriers will require a
reconceptualization of the L.G. Smith Boulevard along
the waterfront, and may require new land uses that
improve the quality of pedestrian experience. While the
light industrial uses are necessary to the economic health
of the city, they can be buffered and supplemented
with other development that extends the city and
provides a more attractive edge for any new waterfront
improvements.
Make-Shift Public RealmAn example of make-shift public space, assembled from discarded furniture under trees on vacant lots
Open SpaceMuch of Oranjestad’s downtown and inner neighborhoods are under-served by open space
33
INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
Roads as BarriersL.G. Smith Boulevard acts as a barrier to pedestrian movement
Waterfront Land UseCurrent land use patterns along the waterfront and surrounding blocks are dominated by industrial uses and vacancies
Commercial
Institutional
Vacant
Sea
Shallow Reefs
Squatter Housing
Industrial
Light Industrial
Parks
Residential
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 201034
CHAPTER 1
Insufficient Cruise Ship Capacity and Unwelcoming Arrival – The cruise ship terminal in Oranjestad is over-
capacity and must expand if Aruba wants to increase its
tourist base. Currently the cruise ship terminal turns
away ships every year because there is not enough room
to dock more than a few cruise ships along the current
bulkhead. Once the container shipping port relocates,
the Port Authority of Aruba would like to develop
a docking strategy that would allow four upgraded
passenger cruise ships to dock at once. In addition
to the capacity of cruise ship docking, a new cruise
ship terminal building will need to be designed and
constructed that can clearly direct and process visitors
to various sites around the island, including visitors to
the downtown area. The welcome sequence for over
half a million cruise ship passengers per year involves
a series of unattractive passages, parking lots and
turnarounds from LG Smith Boulevard that are congested
with buses, taxis, and coaches when ships dock. Visitors
are inundated with vendors selling tourist trinkets form
crudely built shacks. The entrance to town is currently
blocked by a government public works yard. For an
island that depends on so much of its livelihood from
tourism, its physical facilities do not promote visiting its
capital city.
Cruise Ship ArrivalA gateway dominated by asphalt and fencing is the first impression of Oranjestad for many visitors
Cruise Ship Terminal RetailMake-shift tourist shops line the road next to the cruise ship terminal entrance
Visual Blockage by Cruise ShipsAfter disembarking from the ships, an unwelcoming 100 meter asphalt lot, drop off area, multi-lane boulevard, and vacant properties must be crossed by the pedestrian before stepping foot in downtown Oranjestad. The scale of the cruise ships docking in downtown Oranjestad dwarfs the adjacent city and port facilities
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INTRODUCTION + ANALYSIS
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
Relocating Container Shipping / Remaking the Waterfront – The container shipping facility in
Oranjestad is moving south to the older port facility at
Barcadera near the airport, which will be rebuilt for
container shipping use. This will leave a significant
stretch of waterfront vacant along the central coastline
of Oranjestad. While container shipping will move,
cruise ship activity will continue to function on site in
a newly designed facility at the southeast end of the
development parcel. At the northwest end of the parcel,
a new hotel has been designated on the beach adjacent
to the low-rise hotel zone. Government has indicated the
desire for a multi-use public park facility on the land that
was previously occupied by the container shipping use,
the free trade zone, and the obsolete tank farm. Public
officials have suggested a desire for a local serving park
that addresses the passive and active recreational needs
of Oranjestad residents, rather than catering to the
needs of the tourist class. Providing a financially feasible
public park will be challenging for the Port Authority,
which manages this land. Any new park will require some
amount of development that can underwrite any park
investment. A number of development proposals have
been rejected by government in the past because they’ve
included too much retail that would compete with
downtown business. Finding the right development mix
along L.G. Smith Boulevard that can be used to finance
the public components of the park will be challenging,
but can also provide opportunity. Alternatives exist
for both a redesigned vehicular welcome into the city,
increased pedestrian, cycling and vehicular access to the
park, and new housing that addresses market gaps. The
move of the container shipping facility and development
of a new park and housing district could provide the key
catalyst for redeveloping the entire city.
Container Shipping AreaRemaking the container shipping area as a public amenity would open up prime waterfront land to provide a unique park experience to both locals and tourists
CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN
VISION AND DESIGN PRINCIPLES
CITYWIDE STRUCTURE PLAN + FRAMEWORK
2
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
VISIONS + DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Urban Design Vision Plans present a future goal and
direction for a place. Visions are strongest and most
implementable when they are ‘owned’ by both the
officials who are responsible for seeing them through,
and the stakeholders who are most likely to benefit from
them. They must be firmly grounded in the pragmatic
realities of the place, but reach beyond what is
conceivably possible. They should help the place become
what it is destined to become from the seeds that are
currently planted there. Good vision plans must be clear
and unambiguous – imageable and inspirational. They
should be based in wide-spread desire for improvement
and change – rather than be advocated by only a
select few. For visions to be effective they must be
communicated easily and regularly – they must remain
active policy that guides future development decisions.
Successful vision implementation builds an increasingly
larger platform for implementation – including those
who would come along later to interpret and provide
new energy for their manifestation. As broad policy
statements about the future, successful vision planning
should be synonymous with a deep understanding of the
current situation – innovative development – enlightened
place-making – and inclusive transformation. Think of
visions as the destinations we are trying to reach.
Design principles, on the other hand, should be
embedded directly within the larger vision plan – but
they function quite differently. Rather than suggesting
goals, they should educate implementers, developers,
and beneficiaries about ideas for achieving the vision.
Design principles don’t tell us what to do explicitly – that
is the role of the design guideline. Design principles are
mere ideas. They provide thoughts that help justify
the larger vision, show options, and introduce notions
that might not have been considered previously. Think
of a design principle as the roadmap that gets us to the
destination.
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CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
VISION 1 – MEMORABLE DESTINATION
ORANJESTAD WILL BE A MEMORABLE ARUBAN DESTINATION FOR VISITORS TO THE ISLAND AND LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO VALUE ITS CONTRIBUTION TO ARUBAN IDENTITY.
While many places in the Caribbean have the benefit
of centuries of urban history, Oranjestad is a relative
newcomer to the Caribbean experience. Places like
San Juan, Santo Domingo, Havana and Cartagena have
several centuries of urban development history behind
them to help in creating their destination value.
Largely a 20th Century city, Oranjestad must preserve
what remains of its local history and look after what
is authentic about the place so that it can continue to
emerge as a valued destination. To capture an increasing
share of the visitor traffic through the Caribbean, and
continue to reap return visits to the island, Oranjestad
can help Aruba by becoming a greater experience
amenity. In the future, Oranjestad will be a place that
tourists remember for its aesthetic qualities, memorable
experiences, and expression of local identity. It can
do this by becoming more Aruban; by nurturing local
flavor; by championing what is special about the city, the
island, its landscape, its architecture. Oranjestad will
become a more memorable city by offering experiences
that are more fun – more active – more exciting. It
will become the city where locals go for nightlife and
clubbing, for shopping and celebrating. And in turn, the
city will welcome visitors to share in this experience,
rather than catering directly to them at the expense of
the local-serving character. Oranjestad can achieve this
memorability by improving its physical character – by
implementing public realm improvements that produce
a consistent urban image – by highlighting its culture and
expressing the diverse identity of island residents. Focus
on what is great about this city and build on it: historic
colonial buildings, an amazing collection of Art-Deco
architecture, a great waterfront location, a huge amount
of visitor traffic, a walkable scale, an active merchant
group, a government willing to invest in the public realm.
Just think about the possibilities of what this city is,
and what it might become. The city will stand with the
natural beauty of the island as one of the major reasons
why people return to Aruba.
Design Principle 1.1 Historic preservation can help to
retain local character and manage the future of the
downtown area.
Aruba’s historic buildings, landscapes, and monuments
are assets that help to showcase the islands diverse
cultural identity and character. Supporting historic
preservation and conserving distinctive landmarks will
both preserve Aruba’s history and energize the cultural
economy. Already this strategy is beginning to pay
off in Oranjestad. The historic buildings that have
Historic PreservationAn example of how historic preservation efforts have already helped solidify Oranjestad’s local place character
RestorationA kunuku house, representative of traditional Aruban architecture
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
already been saved and preserved provide a physical
and visual connection to the island’s history. Downtown
Oranjestad would benefit greatly from a broader use
of preservation in the shape of a Downtown Historic
District. Management of this district could help establish
façade improvement guidelines, new signage regulations,
awning controls, and public assistance in design
recommendations.
Design Principle 1.2 Design guidelines can contribute to
creating a consistent and resonant urban character.
Design guidelines coordinate development by insuring
that all projects contribute to a safe, comfortable,
and attractively scaled urban environment. They seek
to guide architectural and urban design character,
regulate parking, and create a public realm to support
the larger urban ensemble. Successful guidelines align
development patterns with future visions while providing
flexibility for creative interpretation. They can also help
to control design outcomes in the face of insensitive
projects and low-end development practices.
Design Principle 1.3 Iconic buildings and innovative
urban design can help to create new and exciting place
identity.
In the process of place making, cultural icons, such
as buildings and recognizable open spaces, help to
create symbols that represent new place identities
and a sense of energy. Buildings, streetscapes, parks,
statues, and public art can serve as a medium for
representing the cultures and communities living in
Oranjestad. Successful examples of this strategy include
Millennium Park in Chicago, Highline Park in New York
City, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao Spain, and
the Pompidou Centre in Paris France. Moreover, these
icons can help residents develop a sense of pride in the
accomplishments of their city.
Design Principle 1.4 Public spaces can provide
opportunities for special events, festivals, and cultural
exchange.
The public realm is often the stage on which people
express themselves. Oranjestad should have flexible
spaces that hold cultural events including concerts,
markets, and festivals. When well-designed, these
spaces create increased interaction among strangers,
create stronger community identities, and enhance the
city’s attractiveness to tourists.
Public Space OpportunitiesThe current design of Museum Plaza suffers from a lack of sun protection, immature vegetation, and few pedestrian comforts.
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CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
VISION 2 – CONNECTED CITY
ORANJESTAD WILL BE AN ACCESSIBLE AND WELL CONNECTED CITY WHERE VISITORS AND RESIDENTS NAVIGATE THE CITY WITH EASE.
A number of accessibility and connection problems
confront visitors to central Oranjestad. If you were a
first time visitor to Aruba, you would disembark from a
cruise ship or airplane and be confused about your next
destination. Most likely you would be whisked away to
a hotel or a tour. If you wanted to explore Oranjestad
however, you would have little information to guide your
path. The welcome sequence into town is difficult to
navigate – no clear wayfinding system exists – no intuitive
path connects visitors to the downtown. On the other
hand, if you were driving to central Oranjestad from
another part of the island for an afternoon of shopping,
you would find difficulty not only with direct road access
due to the poor circulation network, but also with
uncoordinated parking options that force drivers to waste
time hunting for parking. If you are a local resident
trying to get downtown, few transport options exist for
you to get to destinations quickly and efficiently. Transit
in the downtown area is virtually non-existent. In the
future, Oranjestad will be city where residents and
tourists can access services and amenities through a well
developed transportation network. This will include a
well connected and maintained street system, as well
as an integrated public transportation, bicycle and
pedestrian network. Imagine a city that guides visitors
effortlessly and intuitively through a renewed cruise ship
terminal facility – and encourages them to walk along a
well-marked path or catch a tram to downtown shopping
and dining. The future Oranjestad will welcome visitors
to the city by means of an information center that can
highlight visitor options and direct people to valued
amenities. It will offer local tram service to valued
places throughout the downtown area – delivering visitors
to museums, plazas, shopping, and entertainment. A
future Oranjestad will provide cycling options for local
residents, and an evident parking strategy for Arubans
from across the island. Most importantly, the future of
Oranjestad depends on rationalizing and clarifying the
street network to guide drivers into the city.
Design Principle 2.1 A well-connected street network
improves direct access throughout the city.
A well-organized street network makes navigation
more efficient while improving connections between
amenities and attractions. A strong hierarchy of streets
gives pedestrians clearer direction and improves the
experience for tourists and residents alike. A strong
street signage system can help guide drivers to
destinations and parking.
L.G. Smith BoulevardThe boulevard moves traffic across the city, but does not provide many places for pedestrians to cross. Sidewalks are narrow and few pedestrian amenities exist.
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
Design Principle 2.2 A well-coordinated parking
system can help bring customers close to downtown
destinations.
Instituting a rationalized parking system will help drivers
access the downtown and desired shopping destinations.
This strategy can include new structured parking, new
surface lots, and wayfinding signage that directs drivers
to parking. Because of Aruba’s regular heat and sun,
parking should be located no more than a block from
primary retail and service destinations to shorten walking
distances. This will mean a series of inter-connected
parking options that allow drivers to find parking with
ease from any point of access into the city.
Design Principle 2.3 Streetscape amenities provide
comfortable, safe, and enjoyable pedestrian experiences
– and encourage walking over other means of transport.
Well-designed streetscapes are one of the most effective
place-making strategies and enhance economic viability,
attractiveness, and environmental health. Improved
street design should be seen as part of the larger
economic development strategy for the city. Street trees
provide for shade and improved human comfort in the
walking environment. Benches provide opportunities to
rest and socialize. Pedestrian-scale lighting improves
safety. Sign regulations help create a consistent urban
character.
Design Principle 2.4 A balanced multi-modal
transportation system can help reduce auto-congestion
and provide access choice.
Public transportation, bike networks and pedestrian
pathways can reduce auto-congestion and provide a
degree of choice for local and island-wide visitors.
An integrated transportation system allows drivers,
commuters, bikers and pedestrians to travel safely
and easily throughout the city. This will mean the
establishment of an expanded tram network, a
new system of marked bikeways, sidewalk amenity
investment, and improved bus routing across the island.
Design Principle 2.5 Integrated wayfinding systems can
help users navigate the city.
Consistent signage and wayfinding devices improve
navigation and help people locate public services, tourist
attractions and shopping areas while highlighting the
positive aspects of the city. Typical wayfinding elements
include: information centers, regular and coordinated
pedestrian level signage, a resonant public realm design
that allows visitors to follow a clear path of access, and
coordinated lighting that shows visitors where to go. An
integrated wayfinding strategy can also provide a degree
of design resonance that assists in place-making.
Oranjestad’s Downtown Bus StationImproved multi-modal transit systems are needed in order to improve circulation around the island
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CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
VISION 3 – VIBRANT LOCAL ECONOMY
ORANJESTAD WILL HAVE A MORE VIBRANT AND DIVERSIFIED LOCAL ECONOMY THAT BENEFITS VISITORS SEEKING THE FLAVOR OF ARUBA AND RESIDENTS FULFILLING EVERYDAY NEEDS.
The central shopping area of Oranjestad is beset by a
diversity of challenges – both physical and economic:
under-performing revenue expectations; a poor retail
mix with an emphasis on low-end products; inadequate
dining, beverage and entertainment options; a
deteriorating public realm; inhospitable pedestrian
accommodations; and ill-performing infrastructure
systems. For the tourist, central Oranjestad offers few
memorable experiences: a lack of local flavor in food
and craft products; too few public spaces for relaxing
and socializing; some unattractive and unimproved
facades; and a public realm pock-marked with vacancy,
lack of maintenance, and under-regulated signage.
Main Street frequently feels empty – the marina is
often lifeless – the waterfront is defunct – vendors offer
imported and unremarkable products to tourists. On
the other hand opportunities exist for improvement.
Wilhelminastraat offers a few exciting clubs and
restaurants – notable preservation efforts have saved
colonial gems – and the city’s access to the coastline
offers a number of alternatives for development. To
create a more vibrant local economy, Oranjestad will
need to improve both its tourist offerings and its local
serving retail and service base. A vibrant economy with
locally owned businesses and a diverse array of retail,
office and work spaces can provide residents with
services and employment opportunities and tourists with
a host of interesting downtown destinations. Imagine
a central Oranjestad where locals and tourists relax
together in expansive plaza cafes listening to local music
into the night – where merchants strive to keep shops
open later to capture increasing sales opportunities –
where a wide variety of shops and kiosks provide new
ownership opportunities for startups and local jobs–
where the local economy doesn’t struggle nearly so much
during the off-season. The future of central Oranjestad
will be built not just on physical improvement, but also
on improved maintenance, extended operating hours,
event programming, and entrepreneurship. Diversifying
the retail and service base of central Oranjestad will also
contribute to a more resilient and sustainable economy
that begins to supplement its tourism base with an ever-
increasing local retail foundation, and hopefully new
production opportunities.
Design Principle 3.1 A diversified downtown land
use mix provides tourists and locals with a variety of
entertainment, retail, and service options, and helps
business survive the off-season.
The Local Tourist EconomyLocal markets are an important part of advancing a sustainable economy, but often sell goods that are not representative of the Caribbean or Aruban culture
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
A mix of entertainment, retail, and services can create
vibrancy at different hours of the day and year and
ensures commercial activities can fulfill the needs of
both Arubans and tourists. Greater retail diversity helps
insure that businesses don’t cannibalize each other by
offering too much of the same product, and that each
place forms its own expanding customer niche. Retail
diversity and more attractive shopping places can also
help guard against economic decline during the off-
season, when the island must rely on Aruban residents to
keep shops busy. Moreover, greater and more interesting
retail choice is a proven strategy in building a vital
economy.
Design Principle 3.2 Strengthening local business
supports a vibrant economy and helps to minimize
economic off-island leakage.
Locally owned business re-circulates more money back
into the economy, supports community events, and
links local residents in a network of economic and
social relationships. Local ownership ensures decisions
are made by those who will experience their complete
impacts. Most importantly local ownership helps to avoid
the departure of economic benefits to multi-nationals
and off-island interests. Given that Aruba imports so
much of the goods sold on the island, support to local
business can begin by creating production opportunities
to substitute some of these imports with locally produced
material. More attention could be paid to the city’s
oceanfront location – providing support to a nascent
fishing industry, seafood production, and other maritime
industries. At the least, the art, craft, food, and
entertainment offered on the island should be a local
product. Central Oranjestad could become the locus for
this local production.
Design Principle 3.3 Providing diverse spaces for new
startups, workforce development, business incubation,
and educational opportunities can help support economic
development.
Government, schools, and merchant associations can
help expand opportunity for an expanded workforce. This
can include both education opportunities as well as the
supply of more varied retail and office spaces at various
scales. Offering diverse retail spaces of different sizes
can help reduce the rents and overheads paid by those
just starting out in business. Community centers, schools
and other government buildings can provide space
where the next generation of Arubans will be educated,
helping to grow local business and a more capable
workforce. Local universities and vocational colleges
can help in this effort by offering workshops and courses
in small business entrepreneurship and business skills
development. Government can help lubricate this process
by providing incentives, tax-breaks, and assistance to
those wanting to invest in the island’s economic future.
Local Economic DriversLocal businesses put money directly into the local economy and help spur employment and production on the island
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CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
VISION 4 – SUSTAINABLE ORANJESTAD
ORANJESTAD WILL BE A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE CITY – A PLACE THAT CAN BECOME AN EXAMPLE OF GREEN LEADERSHIP FOR THE LARGER CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY.
Island ecology can be very difficult to sustain for a
growing population and urban development base. As
the Aruba population and visitor base continues to
expand, additional pressures are placed on the resources
necessary to sustain this growth. We need to face
the realization that Aruba has degraded its natural
environment by unchecked and ill-advised development
decisions that might have enhanced the short term
economic life of the island, but may have threatened its
long term sustainability. The environmental challenges of
expansive urban development can be seen in a variety of
impacts: increased urban stormwater runoff that outfalls
into coastal areas and damages maritime ecosystems;
increased energy and potable water requirements; loss
of natural habitats with land transformation; increasing
solid waste volumes; and the environmental costs
of importing ever greater amounts of goods into the
island – with all their indirect transport, energy use,
pollution, and distribution impacts. In most continental
cities, the region surrounding cities can help to offset
and buffer the impacts caused by urbanization. On an
island these impacts are even more evident, as the
regional land base is often insufficient to supply the
resources and buffering necessary for daily survival –
let alone sustainable development. Recent efforts and
interest in the Aruban environment suggest hope for
a more resilient and sustainable future. Already the
island is increasing energy production with wind power
on the east side of the island. However, other efforts
are needed as well, including water conservation and
other new technologies to increase the potable water
supply. In the future, Oranjestad will be an exemplar of
sustainable development in the Caribbean and play an
important role in improving the island’s environment.
Physical interventions, public transportation and land use
policy will reduce Oranjestad’s ecological footprint. New
infrastructure will capture, reuse and manage rainwater
while protecting sensitive habitats. Sustainability
in technology and urban development, including the
use of drought resistant landscape materials and
climatologically appropriate building techniques can all
assist in this effort. Beyond the benefits to Aruba itself,
the island and its sustainability program could become
a strategic initiative to marshal attention and interest
on the part of other Caribbean islands to learn from the
Aruban experience.
Design Principle 4.1 Sustainability planning can help
reduce the ecological footprint of new development
and provide suggestions for more appropriate design
solutions.
Clean Energy ProductionWind production at the eastern edge of Aruba is leading to more sustainable energy use
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
Strategic sustainability planning (including: energy
production, progressive water desalinization, stormwater
management, sewage and solid waste reduction, and
improved transportation options) can effectively manage
resources as the island continues to develop. Managed
networks of natural lands and open spaces can offset
the environmental impact of development and preserve
Aruba’s natural habitat base for future generations.
Quantifiable sustainability metrics such as greenhouse gas
emissions or a specialized island rating system can help
control and evaluate the impact that projects will have
on the overall environment. Any sustainability initiative
will require a champion in the Government structure,
who can monitor progress and enforce efforts.
Design Principle 4.2 Green infrastructure can offer
low impact alternatives that can effectively manage
resources and reduce negative externalities.
Status quo infrastructure systems are insufficient to
improve environmental conditions and make positive
moves toward a more sustainable future. Green
infrastructure systems, such as innovative stormwater,
water conservation, and localized energy production can
have a direct and immediate impact on the environment.
New stormwater infrastructure should take the form of
permeable pavers, green roofs, cisterns, rain gardens
and bioswales. This green infrastructure protects
natural landscapes and is more cost effective than gray
infrastructure.
Design Principle 4.3 Healthy marine and terrestrial
ecosystems improve environmental quality and can act as
attractive destinations.
Protecting and restoring Aruba’s native ecosystems should
be a priority in all development decisions. Often these
environmental initiatives have little immediate economic
rationale. Over the long term however, their cumulative
benefits will result in additional economic possibilities,
as well as healthier and more attractive places for both
local residents and tourism. Along the coastline of
central Oranjestad, generations of dredging, industrial
activity, and maritime development have degraded reef
systems, wetland buffers, and maritime ecologies. In the
past, wetlands and mangrove habitats along the coast
served as defenses against ecosystem failure and damage
– serving as effective filters for stormwater runoff and
tidal impacts. The coastline of Aruba can be enhanced
by new beaches, restored wetlands, and mangroves – all
of which can help reduce shoreline erosion and protect
water quality. Efforts to enhance reef ecosystems can
help remediate past impacts and provide settings for
eco-tourism and increased fish stocks. In inland areas,
restoration and preservation of natural riparian corridors
can help control erosion and provide habitat settings.
More compact development patterns, and perhaps the
use of urban growth boundaries, can help control sprawl
and diminish the loss of the native landscape.
Over-Taxed Infrastructure Traditional gray infrastructure systems can be costly and difficult to maintain, and are not self-sustaining
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CITYWIDE VISIONS + STRUCTURE PLAN
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
Design Principle 4.4 The use of native and drought
resistant plant species can help conserve water resources
and reinforce the natural identity of the island.
As a hot and humid climate, not every plant species can
be planted in Oranjestad without adverse sustainability
impacts and extensive water consumption. To survive
into the future, innovative irrigation strategies will need
to be used for urban plant life to establish itself and
grow to maturity. These should combine stormwater
and irrigation strategies into a mutually reinforcing
system. But beyond survivability, trees and other
vegetation are necessary for creating an attractive and
comfortable public realm. The need for shade from
street trees is a priority in increasing walkability for
central Oranjestad. Street trees that form a continuous
canopy over pedestrians will require closer-than-normal
spacing, structured soils, and innovative drainage
systems given the shallow soils of the city. Rather than
planting non-native species inappropriate to the climate,
a list of climate appropriate landscape materials should
be devised to guide planting decisions. This may mean
selecting non-native species from other parts of the
world that are conducive to the Aruban climate; a good
example of which might be the planting of desert palms
rather than tropical palms. As most of the plant materials
for Aruba are imported from North and South America,
Aruba would benefit from the establishment of nurseries
and tree farms that can supply this vegetation, while also
providing economic development opportunity. The use of
local plant materials and rock will also help to reinforce
a local landscape identity for Oranjestad.
Aruban LandscapesNative plants provide both aesthetic beauty and a sense of place that can be utilized in urban areas without taxing irrigation systems
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
VISION 5 – STRONG COMMUNITIES
ORANJESTAD WILL BE HOME TO STRONG AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES THAT PROVIDE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ITS RESIDENTS.
Strong communities are the foundation of a strong
city. Achieving this requires attention to both physical
livability and well-matched social services. While most
communities in Aruba provide the basic conditions
to enable urban living (potable water, access to
food, shelter, electricity, sanitation), other higher
level livability conditions are sometimes challenged
(safety, economic health, choice in housing/retail/
transportation, walkability, and adequate public
spaces). To make Oranjestad’s communities more livable
will require attention to these higher level physical
concerns. In addition to the physical, social services
are also required for strong communities. Some of
Oranjestad’s inner ring communities are besieged by
social problems, including poverty, joblessness, drug
addiction, homelessness, and low-level educations.
Services such as these are not only the responsibility of
government. Local community organizations must also
assume some of this responsibility. However, the physical
infrastructure for these services could be planned
and implemented by better government oversight and
coordination. Neighborhood planning is not for the weak-
hearted however. It requires more than plan-making
and will demand long-term monitoring, consultation,
funding and time. The neighborhoods of Oranjestad can
only be improved by this type of long term physical and
social planning. In the future, Oranjestad’s inner ring
neighborhoods will be physically improved to include
places for public interaction, playgrounds and parks,
improved walkability and stormwater infrastructure,
and valued community centers. Residents will be able
to access a strong support network that encourages
participation in government and access to services.
Design Principle 5.1 Physical improvement to
neighborhood infrastructure and community spaces can
help make Oranjestad’s neighborhoods more livable.
The challenges to neighborhood infrastructure are
easily viewed from a short walk through any of the
neighborhoods adjacent to the downtown area.
Pedestrian facilities, stormwater systems, community
parks and recreation amenities all need attention.
Transportation systems are limited – so is local serving
retail. At the center of the neighborhood, government
should coordinate the provision of community centers
that can serve as the public meeting grounds, community
education spaces, and outreach programs necessary to
elevate quality of life for Oranjestad residents.
Neighborhood DevelopmentInfrastructure, vacant land, and open space need to be developed and maintained in order to strengthen neighborhoods and provide a higher quality of life to residents
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Design Principle 5.2 Attractive public spaces create
opportunities for community gathering and encourage
pride of place.
Public spaces that are comfortable throughout the
year, are well-maintained, and have a strong aesthetic
image encourage constant use and ownership by the
public. Usable public places need to be flexible to
host different types of events, meetings, and festivals.
Strategically located community centers and plazas
allow for formal and informal gathering. These areas
permit residents to interact with neighbors and enrich
local community. Space should be provided for social
service programs, community outreach programs,
and interest group functions. Beyond the provision of
space however, creating a memorable design character
across the neighborhood is also important in creating a
sense of ownership. When residents are proud of their
neighborhoods they protect them, care for them, and
monitor activity. Equal-access community amenities and
formal opportunities for indoor and outdoor activities
increase satisfaction and use.
Design Principle 5.3 Public participation allows
individuals and community groups to take ownership of
projects.
Community involvement is essential in the planning
and implementation of projects. Partnerships between
government, NGO’s and neighborhood organizations
open up communication and allow residents to have
impacts on projects. Such collaboration also encourages
continued participation and long-term investment.
Design Principle 5.4 Improving access to social services
helps to ensure a greater quality of life and helps to
respond to society’s impenetrable ‘wicked problems.’
A ‘wicked problem’ is a term for those societal issues
that don’t have easy answers and where people
cannot easily come to consensus over what to do to
combat them. Investment in local social services and
community institutions is a first step in laying the
groundwork for quality of life improvements, and may
help to battle ‘wicked problems.’ These investments
answer the specific social challenges associated with
particular places, enhance neighborhood cohesion, and
spur community involvement. Oranjestad’s inner ring
neighborhoods suffer from a host of social pathologies
that can be helped by focused and long term attention.
Issues of homelessness, poverty alleviation, the sex
trade, drug dealing, and various addictions are best dealt
with by ongoing treatment and counseling programs,
in addition to more formal education and training. All
of these will require physical space and government
funding.
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
CITYWIDE STRUCTURE PLAN + FRAMEWORK
The Oranjestad Citywide Structure Plan is a physical
diagram that shows the arrangement of key proposed
elements of the city organized collectively into a plan.
The structure plan includes all proposals suggested in
this studio and shows how they interconnect and support
each other. Their aim is to connect and invigorate
three distinct regions in the city: the downtown, the
residential neighborhoods, and the waterfront. Though
each area invokes unique design proposals, collectively
they achieve a unified vision for a future Oranjestad.
The goal of the Citywide Structure Plan is to present a
physical design framework that supports the visions and
principles set forth in the previous section. This structure
plan aims to create a memorable, unified, and lively city
for both visitors and island residents.
The Citywide Structure Plan was designed under a
number of assumptions. First, the plan builds off
the proposed Main Street Tram line that will begin in
front of the Cruise Ship terminal and loop down Main
Street. In tandem with the Main Street Tram line is a
streetscape proposal and a number of new plazas along
the route. The second assumption is that the waterfront
shipping container facility will soon move south towards
the airport. This move opens up a large space on the
waterfront for activity and development.
CREATING CONNECTIONS - Inherent in the Oranjestad
Citywide Structure Plan is increased connectivity
between people, places, and destinations. Creating the
connections between the different nodes throughout the
city will help to unify the city’s distinct places.
The plan aims to improve accessibility between the
downtown, neighborhoods, and waterfront. In addition
to the Main Street Tram line, which will bring people
from the waterfront through downtown, there is
a second proposed tram line that will run through
the neighborhoods and down the waterfront. The
neighborhood tram provides much needed public
transportation for Oranjestad residents. A large portion
of L.G. Smith Boulevard has been redesigned as a multi-
modal boulevard.
Pedestrian connections have also been a target of the
Oranjestad structure plan. Streetscape improvements
in downtown, the neighborhoods, and the waterfront,
have been designed for more enjoyable, convenient,
and safe pedestrian-oriented routes. These streetscape
improvements will both beautify the street and attract
more people to walk. Improved pedestrian access will
increase foot traffic and decrease automobile traffic.
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250m
Proposed Projects
Proposed Streetscape Improvements
Green Street
Tram Line
Oranjestad Citywide Structure Plan
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
Finally, the citywide structure plan aims to reconnect
the city back to the waterfront. The connection will
be made at both the boat harbor downtown, which is
redesigned for better water access and views, and at the
shipping container facility, which has been designed as an
active recreational park and cultural center. In addition
to the waterfront park, the cruise ship terminal will be
redesigned to accommodate more cruise ships and create
a better welcome entrance for visitors and tourists.
CREATING DESTINATIONS - For Oranjestad to be a more
memorable place, it will need imageable destinations for
both its residents and the tourists who visit. Both small
and large-scale destinations are proposed for Oranjestad
through the downtown, waterfront, and neighborhoods.
The waterfront park that will replace the shipping
container facility offers a unique experience for
recreational activity and leisure for the residents of
Oranjestad. It celebrates the city’s beautiful waterfront
and still allows for new development and entertainment
that would help to pay for the infrastructure changes
and park development. In the neighborhoods, the
proposed Madiki Square, Community Center, and Xavier
University Park will act as anchor destinations for their
surrounding communities, providing meeting spaces
and places for education. The Welcome Center design
located along L.G. Smith Boulevard is proposed as
a downtown transportation and information hub for
incoming cruise ship passengers and Oranjestad visitors.
The botanical garden in front of the Archeology Museum
will be both a transit stop and a destination. The garden
will showcase the island’s native plant life and provide
shaded leisure space that can accommodate lingering
and gathering. A newly designed Lagoon Park will become
a sculpture garden that highlights local art and the
history of the island. The park will frame the southern
edge of Oranjestad’s downtown, providing a link to the
waterfront from Downtown and a peaceful place to rest.
Finally, an improved design for the waterfront harbor
will help to unite the beautiful waterfront with the
rest of the city, celebrating the Parliament with a new
plaza that can provide space for ceremonial events at
the capital. All of these destinations together will help
to create a unique and memorable experience for both
residents and visitors.
CREATING IMPROVEMENTS - At the heart of these
proposals are efforts to design for a future Oranjestad,
one that celebrates its people and evolving cultural
heritage. In addition to leveraging the many unique
assets of the island, these design proposals also aim
to mitigate some of the city’s problems by improving
existing streets and infrastructure.
Stormwater run-off is a major issue during the rainy
season, as it causes frequent flooding that damage
property and make travel difficult. New streetscape
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strategies on downtown and neighborhood streets
use drainage strategies, bio-swales, and landscaping
to assuage the runoff and reduce flooding. Further,
additional streetscape planting will beautify the streets,
incorporate permeable surfaces and water-accessible
tree wells, but also add much needed shade during
Aruba’s hot weather months to make sidewalks more
comfortable.
Enhancing and celebrating the island’s native plant and
wildlife is important to reinforcing Aruba’s culture and
protecting its shoreline. The Waterfront Park will use
mangroves along its water’s edge that, in addition to
protecting the city from tidal flux, will help to create
beautiful places of refuge for fish and birds and help
to increase the biodiversity of the island’s fish habitat.
Likewise, plant materials used for streetscapes, plazas
and parks will be chosen from both indigenous plant lists,
but also from similar geographical locations around the
world to expand the slim vegetation choices emanating
directly from the island. Similar tropical-arid ecosystems
in South America, the Gulf States, California, and the
Mediterranean can all be useful additions to Aruba’s
plant-life base.
All of these designs will be described in further detail
throughout this book. The purpose of the Citywide
Structure Plan is to provide an overview of how these
proposals fit together into a unified design vision for the
city.
A Waterfront Park for the FutureThe proposed projects celebrate the people and culture of Oranjestad, and are meant to benefit future generations.
WATERFRONT STRUCTURE PLAN
CURRENT SITE, KEY ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS
WATERFRONT STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY
CRUISESHIP TERMINAL INITIATIVES
L.G. SMITH BOULEVARD DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
WATERFRONT PARK
RESEARCH PARK + CULTURAL CENTER
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56 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
CURRENT SITE, KEY ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS
The waterfront site consists of approximately 35 hectares
and extends for a kilometer along the sea northwest
of downtown Oranjestad. The site contains the cruise
ship terminal, shipping container facility, and a free
trade zone industrial area. With the exception of
the cruise port facility, the site will be vacated when
the industrial uses relocate south of the Airport. The
Aruban Port Authority must also respond to the growing
size of cruise ships and needs to provide space for
more and larger cruise ships at this location. At the
behest of Government, the site will be transformed
into a waterfront park to serve the needs of Oranjestad
residents. This park will be funded, in part, by new
residential development and research facilities that
help to transform L.G. Smith Boulevard into a better
entry sequence into the city. Lastly, the new waterfront
site must be visually and physically connected to the
downtown and neighborhoods to ensure access for
pedestrians and vehicles alike.
Aruba’s cruise tourism industry is growing, as are the
ships the port needs to accommodate increasing tourist
traffic. In the past 20 years, cruise ships have increased
in size by over 100 meters in length. These ships
continue to grow and Oranjestad is seeing more annual
passengers than ever before. At present, the port can
accommodate 2 mega ships and one standard-sized ship.
The desired capacity is 4 mega ships and one standard-
sized ship. The site provides the opportunity for a new
docking strategy, which will be limited by the boundary
of the coral reef to the west, the marina to the south,
and private lands to the north.
There is also the opportunity to improve the welcome
sequence of tourists visiting the island. At present,
visitors must walk over 100 meters across an asphalt
parking lot from the terminal to a gated entrance,
only to find an unwelcoming barbed wire fence and
the uncomfortable calls of vendors and tour operators
yelling for attention. The existing cruise ship port space
is underutilized, out of scale, and poorly connected to
the rest of Oranjestad. The cruise port should be more
visually attractive to entice passengers to leave the
cruise ship. A more welcoming, efficient, and pedestrian
friendly sequence should greet cruise ship passengers
after they exit the ship.
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With the newly available waterfront lands, the Aruban
government has identified the opportunity for a public
park that can serve Aruban residents. Public spaces in
the adjacent neighborhoods are limited but informal
reuse of unoccupied space gives evidence that they
are desired. The new park must be financially feasible.
New development can help raise the funds, but the
Aruban government has made clear with regards to past
proposals that there should be no competition with
the downtown. Residential development is preferred
while commercial development should be limited to a
minimum.
The site also presents opportunities for environmental
reclamation. The site was built on fill that extends well-
beyond the original Aruban coastline. The extent of
toxicity and stability of this fill is not known. There is
almost no vegetation to protect the site from the winds
and sun. Much of the edge is lined by a bulkhead up to
2 meters above sea-level, without access to the water.
In addition, the adjacent reef is threatened by habitat
loss and stormwater run-off from the island. This reef is
important for providing wave protection for the ships as
well as a valuable asset for its fish. A new park presents
an opportunity to reclaim coastal habitat and protect the
reef.
At present, the waterfront site has limited accessibility
and an extremely busy L.G. Smith Boulevard is a barrier.
Blind turns, inadequate crossings, and the lack of shade
make the pedestrian experience uncomfortable and
dangerous approaching the waterfront. L.G. Smith
Boulevard was designed as a multiway boulevard and
offers opportunities for more efficient traffic movement
and pedestrian spaces. Stronger connections should be
established to the downtown and neighborhoods from
the waterfront with wayfinding, designated paths, and
visual connections. Land uses along L.G. Smith Boulevard
are also of serious concern. As much as 40% of buildings
are vacant. Land use controls and zoning could be
implemented to control future uses that complement
proposed improvements.
Opening Up The WaterfrontA new waterfront park will transform the coastline from a center of industry to a cherished public amenity
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58 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
WATERFRONT STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY
The Aruban government challenged students at the
University of Pennsylvania to re-envision Oranjestad’s
waterfront to better accommodate Aruba’s social,
economic, and environmental needs. The structure plan
for Oranjestad’s waterfront proposes a redevelopment
of the existing Port Authority Terminal and L.G. Smith
Boulevard, along with a new Recreational/Ecological Park
and Institutional Center for Aruba’s people.
The structure plan for Oranjestad’s waterfront provides
opportunity at various levels, while accounting for
the primary function and feasibility of the proposed
site. Physical connections between buildings, streets,
landscapes, water, and so forth strengthens Aruba’s
social and interactions between multiple populations.
Additionally, access to public amenities along
Oranjestad’s waterfront affirms Aruba’s identity and
supports local businesses within the area. Our goals for
Oranjestad’s waterfront entails: enhancing the welcome
experience for cruise ship visitors, improving on market
potentials through development, and supporting cultural,
institutional and ecological amenities for the public.
Likewise, the proposal addresses key challenges by
offering stormwater management strategies and better
vehicular and pedestrian access.
The structure plan presents a diagram of the larger
moves combined together. One of the main concerns
addressed is the Port Authority’s desired increase in
cruise ship and port capacity. Thus, the structure plan
presents two design alternatives, each accommodating
four megaships (the desired capacity). The first proposal
requires a fifty-meter bulkhead extension along the
existing waterfront, located adjacent to the park site.
The second proposal displays an extended cruise terminal
off the existing Port Authority waterfront (located in
the middle of the existing channel). This maximizes
uninterrupted waterfront access for both the park and
cultural center. Regardless, both scenarios account for
security setbacks, tram access to the welcome plaza, bus
and taxi loading, and supporting development around the
terminal.
The design for L.G. Smith Boulevard corresponds
to another key challenge presented by the Aruban
Government. As a primary commercial street in
Oranjestad, L.G. Smith Boulevard is currently congested
with vehicular traffic and lacks crosswalks, speed limits,
streetlights, sidewalks, and further accommodation
for pedestrians. Additionally, the boulevard acts as
a barrier to the waterfront and neighborhoods in its
current state. The redesign for L.G. Smith Boulevard
L.G. Smith Boulevard provides better access and
connections between the city and its waterfront. By
physically curving the boulevard and providing side-street
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access, the proposed plan affords dynamic views, new
development opportunities, and local-serving business
infill. Adjustments in land use controls combined with
adjacent, residential/ mixed-use development and public
amenities address the high-degree of vacancies (that
are located in the light industrial area northeast of L.G.
Smith). The physical and visual display also accounts for
parking, public transportation, street frontage, improved
pedestrian mobility, and green streets.
The waterfront park design integrates a flexible, public
space that supports the Aruban identity by enhancing
the existing culture and natural ecology. Movement
is choreographed by a connected ramping system,
essentially five ovals structurally integrated to create
a variety of public places, dynamic views, and modes
of mobility. Urban development terraces into storm-
water gardens and public plazas, which then joins
with waterfront beachside. Interstitial spaces are
programmed to create special moments, germane
to the Aruban culture. These places allow for social
interactions between diverse populations. At the water’s
edge, a multi-mode pathway system extends across
the site area, linking with the adjacent cultural center.
Mangroves frame the waterfront, supporting Aruba’s
natural ecology while physically forming passageways for
kayaking and row-boating. Combined, these elements
bring water closer to the Arubans and allow them to
enjoy its natural beauty.
The proposed institutional and cultural center functions
as an iconic gateway for disembarking cruise tourists.
As a synergetic hub for people to experience, learn,
grow and innovate, the proposed design capitalizes
on other waterfront investments in residential
development, parks, and the cruise ship terminal. The
anchor institution, the Aquarium of the Caribbean,
and the productive landscape exhibition center, the
Seawater Greenhouse, are both cultural attractions
that allow visitors to interact with the existing natural
ecology and marine life. These places not only enrich
the Aruban identity, but also incorporate technology
with sustainable strategies in order to support local
economies. Commercial office and mixed-use retail
buildings connect with development along L.G. Smith
Boulevard and provide employment opportunities and
financial feasibility. The adjacent community water
garden, tide pools, and mangroves further provide public
amenities that serve as educational and social places of
interaction.
100m
Oranjestad Waterfront Structure Plan(Cruise Ship Terminal Alternative 1 Shown)
Waterfront Park
L.G. Smith Boulevard Development Initiatives
Cruise Ship Terminal Initiatives
Research Park and Cultural Center
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62 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL INITIATIVES
A NEED FOR INCREASED CRUISE SHIP CAPACITY - With
both the demand for cruises to Aruba on the rise and
the physical size of cruise ships also growing, the cruise
ship terminal in Oranjestad is in need of expansion and
upgrade. With the container shipping facility moving
from its current location adjacent to the cruise terminal,
the timing is ideal for moving forward with a terminal
project. The following recommendation for a new cruise
ship terminal for Oranjestad is not limited to one design.
Here we have conceived of two alternatives that might
work for the city.
Each design alternative focuses on functionality,
technical feasibility, cost effectiveness, security
concerns, pedestrian comfort, as well as connectivity
within the site and to the downtown, adjacent
neighborhoods and newly proposed redevelopment at the
harbor. Each design intends to entice cruise passengers
to get off their ships and experience the island. This is
done with attractive architecture, an emphasis on the
pedestrian experience, increased connections, including
a new tram line, to downtown Oranjestad, and increased
opportunity for shopping, dining and recreation on the
waterfront.
With each comes its own unique challenges and
constraints, but also opportunities and advantages. By
providing these alternatives, we hope that the Aruba
Port Authority and the Aruban Government might better
understand their own priorities and desires for a terminal
redesign project.
CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL ALTERNATIVE 1: The first
alternative takes advantage of the bulkhead that already
exists as part of the shipping facility. It requires an
extension of only 50m to the north to accommodate
the desired four megaships. Passengers disembark
on the long, linear bulkhead and enjoy a pleasant,
shaded walk between raised planters and palms on a
walkway that follows the same curvilinear movement
of the proposed park to the terminal’s north. Cruise
ships are accommodated by a 30m security setback
along the length of the bulkhead so they can tie down
as necessary. This has been left rather flexible in the
design. The passengers then reach the multi-leveled,
teardrop-shaped terminal that separates the secured
and non-secured zones. The terminal is designed with
a seating area and a desert roof garden complete with
drought tolerant and native plantings. Both terminal
amenities are accessible to the public. Because the
water acts as a natural buffer to the north, the need
for unsightly fencing is greatly reduced. The need
for fencing is further reduced by building residential
condominiums that abut the 30m security setback to
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WATERFRONT STRUCTURE PLAN
URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
the east. These units get ocean and harbor views as well
as act as de facto security buffers without the need for
unsightly fences. Issues associated with this alternative
are fairly minimal and include: extension of the existing
bulkhead, the coordination of public use of the terminal
facility during off-season when ships are not at dock,
and security coordination where the bulkhead meets
the waterfront park. This alternative is seen as very
achievable with the least cost and disruption to ongoing
ship activity, while providing an improved aesthetic
experience along the bulkhead.
Area of Detail
25m
Cruise Ship Terminal Plan - Alternative 1 Detail
View of Alternative 1 Docking Area and Bulkhead
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64 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
50m
Cruise Ship Terminal Plan - Alternative 2
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CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL ALTERNATIVE 2: The second
alternative proposes the new cruise ship terminal facility
sits in the middle of the channel to free up the coastline
along the terminal for public use. In this scenario, the
30m security setback is accounted for by the mere fact
that the terminal is separated from the land and no
noticeable securitization is required along a water edge.
The passengers disembark onto the second floor of the
terminal and can either enjoy the terminal’s roof park
or cross the channel by way of a hinged pontoon bridge
(similar to one in use in Willemstad) to the tram plaza
and waterfront promenade on the other side. Here the
passengers might elect to sit at a cafe before boarding
the tram that will take them straight to the welcome
plaza where they will receive all the information they
need to enjoy the island. The passenger might also elect,
instead, to walk along the waterfront promenade to
arrive at the proposed waterfront park or the cultural
center. Issues associated with this alternative include:
possible need for re-dredging and reef protection,
the construction of the water-based terminal, ship
docking and passage, pontoon bridge operation and ship
coordination, and security issues with a water-based
system. The alternative is innovative and may provide
a great example for other cruise terminals around the
world.
View to the Alternative 2 access bridge and cruise ship terminal from the shore
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66 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
L.G. SMITH BOULEVARD DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
The design for L.G. Smith Boulevard and surrounding
development responds to existing key issues. L.G. Smith
Boulevard is dominated by cars and acts as a barrier to
the waterfront and neighborhoods in its current state.
The boulevard is often congested with truck traffic,
speeding vehicles, and cars parked everywhere. The
existing light industrial area is populated with low
density warehouses, car dealerships, and distribution
facilities. A high degree of vacancy was also observed.
The redesign for L.G. Smith Boulevard was based on
the concept of connecting the waterfront to the city,
both physically and visually. By curving the boulevard,
dynamic views are created while varying the experience
and establishing new development opportunities.
The major elements of the redesigned of L.G. Smith
Boulevard are outlined below.
A REDESIGNED L.G. SMITH BOULEVARD WITH LOCAL ACCESS STREETS – This realignment of L.G. Smith
Boulevard is one of the primary design interventions
suggested in the Waterfront Structure Plan. Its curving
and sinuous alignment will provide for interesting and
changing views along the street and to the water as
drivers meander its length. The proposed realignment
of L.G. Smith Boulevard begins at the Welcome Plaza,
south of Paarenbaaistraat, where an extension of the
tram will run and return to its current configuration.
After 0.9 kilometers at the roundabout intersections
with Belgie Straat the tram begins to loop east into the
neighborhoods. Two side streets split from the boulevard
between Rockefeller Straat and Belgie Straat to serve
the waterfront park and residents and existing businesses
on either side of L.G. Smith Boulevard. The horizontal
curvature of the boulevard allows for a maximum
design speed of 65 kilometers per hour for thru traffic.
However, a slower speed limit of 55 kilometers per hour
is recommended. The boulevard itself is designed as
five lanes with two vehicular thru streets and a central
alternating left-hand turn lane. Two public transit lanes
are separated from the central thru way by vegetated
medians that carry bus and tram traffic only. The trams
will be traveling much slower than thru traffic, around
30 kilometers per hour, and were therefore separated
for safety and to enhance the street level experience.
The public transit only lanes could utilize pervious
pavers to discourage vehicular use, allow for stormwater
infiltration, and augment the pedestrian sidewalk area
adjacent to it. Because trams and buses will be moving
slower in the public transit only lanes, these lanes would
also be ideal for bicycles.
NEW RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT –
Twelve new development blocks are created along the
redesigned L.G. Smith Boulevard. The majority of land
use is proposed as medium to high density residential
3L.G. Smith BoulevardDominated by cars and industry, L.G. Smith Boulevard blocks the neighborhoods of Oranjestad from the Waterfront
67
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A
1
C2B
3
Existing Businesses
Arendstraat
Belg
ie S
traa
t
Paar
denb
aais
traa
t
Local Serving Business Infill
Residential and Mixed Use Development
LG Smith Blvd
Parking Street
100m
L.G. Smith Boulevard Master Plan Key
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68 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
to help finance the public waterfront park with limited
commercial activity that might compete with downtown
Oranjestad businesses. A small percentage of mixed use
commercial is proposed however on the ground floor at
strategic corners and intersections to entice pedestrian
movement from the neighborhoods to the waterfront
park. This retail is envisioned as local food and beverage
businesses or park-serving retailers such as kayak or
bicycle rentals. The proposed residential development
ranges from 2 to 4 stories with an occasional taller
building at key intersections. The waterfront park facing
buildings should be restricted in height where possible to
allow for upper story water views from buildings behind
them. Building typologies are comprised of stacked
townhouses, condominiums, and apartments. Desired
architectural character is comprised of plentiful windows
and doors to allow for air movement. Private outdoor
space should be provided in almost every unit in the form
of balconies or a raised patio. The overall scale of the
development and its relationship to the existing context
reinforces the curved boulevard from the roundabout
looking south. These design opportunities allow a formal
gateway to Oranjestad to be created and encourage a
more prominent scale of architecture.
PLENTIFUL ACCESSIBLE PARKING – Both local residents
and visitors to the park will need space for parking.
Where blocks are wide enough, alleys are encouraged
to provide ground floor rear parking spaces for at least
View Along the Redesigned L.G. Smith Boulevard
Waterfront Park
Waterfront Park
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WATERFRONT STRUCTURE PLAN
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10m
10m10m
Waterfront Park
Waterfront Park
Pervious Park Parking
Local Street Pervious Park Parking
Bio Swale
Bus + Trolley Lane
Bus + Trolley Lane
Condominiums/Stacked Townhouses
Residential Condos
Residential Condos
Bioretention Planting
Box
Bioretention Planting
Box
Franklin Straat
(Two Way)
Two Lane Thru Street with Alternating Turning Lane
Pervious Park Parking
Local Street Resident + Park Parking
Condominium/Stacked Townhouses
Alley Residential with Ground Floor Commercial at Intersections
Bus + Trolley Lane
Bus + Trolley Lane
Condominiums with Ground Floor Commercial on LG Smith
Local Two Way Street with On Street Parking
Local Serving Commercial
Two Lane Thru Street with Alternating Turning
Lane
Section ASection through proposed development from the
waterfront park to existing businesses
Section BSection through L.G. Smith Boulevard and the parking street
Section CSection through Green Street
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70 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
one space for 90 percent of units. Where blocks are less
wide, a ground floor parking garage that is accessed from
a local street behind the building is recommended. On
street parking is provided on both local side streets. Park
parking is provided off the eastern local street. Because
residents’ parking needs will mostly be met within or
behind the building, the park parking areas will be used
less frequently and could be pervious by being paved
with gravel, reinforced lawn, or pavers. Where this
parking abuts residential properties, vegetated buffers
and raised patio areas can be used to separate private
spaces from the public sidewalk.
LOCAL SERVING INFILL IN THE INDUSTRIAL AREA –
With the high degree of vacancy observed in the light
industrial area northeast of L.G. Smith Boulevard and
the anticipated increase in property values once the
waterfront improvements are complete, land use controls
that require a higher density along L.G. Smith Boulevard
are recommended for the light industrial area. This will
ensure that infill in this area supports and enhances
the adjacent waterfront investments and develops in
a pedestrian-friendly manner. The design depicts what
an increase in density might look like if such land use
controls are implemented. Off-street parking is removed
from the front of businesses and provided in lots in the
interior of the block behind the street frontage.
GREEN STREETS TO THE NORTHERN NEIGHBORHOODS
– To augment connections between the existing
neighborhoods to the north and the waterfront park,
green streets are proposed on all east-west cross streets
from the park to Arendstraat behind the light industrial
uses to the northeast of the new development. Green
streets will not only provide safe connections for people
and vehicles, but will help to convey and infiltrate
cleaner stormwater from inland to the sea. The green
street idea provides different street design alternatives
that include: bioswales, pervious paving, rain gardens,
tree well infiltration, and increased vegetative planting.
They have been used in a number of progressive planning
cities such as Seattle, Portland and Vancouver where rain
events have a propensity to cause short-term flooding.
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View From Roundabout Looking SouthThe curvature of the redesigned boulevard creates interspersed viewsheds along the right-of-way, and additionally serves to calm traffic
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WATERFRONT PARK
PARK DESIGN- With newly available waterfront land,
the government of Aruba has expressed interest in a
new park for the Aruban people. A new park is a great
opportunity to reconnect the city of Oranjestad to
its long forgotten waterfront. A park can serve many
functions; most importantly, the design presented here
intends to provide three things: recreational spaces that
celebrate Aruban culture, ecological habitat for Aruba’s
unique flora and fauna, and beautiful, dramatic spaces to
welcome tourists to the island.
The new waterfront park is designed both as a layered
system or right-of-ways, development, and transition
spaces from L.G. Smith Boulevard to buffer the park, and
nodal development along the length of the park – similar
to a string of pearls. The park is integrated closely
with the L.G. Smith Boulevard development proposal
described previously. The sinuous curves of the newly
aligned boulevard work to help provide a variegated
edge condition to the park. Behind the new residential
development can be found: a planted sidewalk area,
parking zone for park visitors, and another well-planted
pedestrian edge up against the park edge. Within the
park itself, pavement and planting areas separate oval
shaped recreation and water park spaces. At times
these ovals serve as active recreation and festival fields,
at other times they become water parks and passive
recreation spaces. At the south end of the park, cultural
facilities adopt the design lead of the oval shapes to
provide an integrated design experience. At the coastal
edge, a series of beaches, islands and mangroves
provides a restored natural edge to the park as it meets
the sea. Within this zone, pathways allow visitors to
access this natural area for hikes and lingering on the
beaches with family or friends. A waterway system
between the coast and the islands is a prime area for
kayaking and boating.
PARK PROGRAM - First and foremost, the success of
the park depends on the ease of wayfinding and travel.
The availability of multimodal transit and walkability
to the site will be the ultimate tests. This design
offers an integrated parking strategy; extension of
the downtown tram, bus, and taxi access; and new
pedestrian improvements to ensure the park will be a
convenient destination. Green streets to the northeast
serve as connectors for people coming from the
neighborhoods, offering views to the park and pleasantly
shaded sidewalks. Along the southern edge of the park,
pathways connect to the cultural center and cruise ship
terminal.
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A
B
C
D
100m
1.2 km Waterfront Promenade
1.4 km Cycling Trail
2.3 km Kayaking
4.7 km Walking Paths
Active Recreation
Waterfront Promenade
Cycling Trail
Ecology Trail
Fish FeedingOutdoor Theatre
Beach
Beach Services
Kayak Launch
Elevated Walkway
Stormwater Gardens
Water Playscape
Skate Park
Market + Festival Space
Service Kiosks
Water Gardens
Entry Plazas
Sports FieldsServices/
Bicycle Rentals
Passive Recreation
Connectors
Park Programs + Services Plan
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At the park entrances, visitors will be greeted by linear
plazas which will direct them to the various programs
within the park as well as provide a straight pathway
to the sea. The plazas are also a place for rest and
refreshment. They provide seating, food, kiosks,
restrooms, and other park services. Alongside the street,
the bordering edges of the plazas terrace into gardens
that treat stormwater runoff from the streets when it
rains. These gardens also provide welcoming spaces
through all seasons.
The park is a flexible public space that supports Aruban
identity by allowing for social interaction among diverse
populations. Programming includes, but is not limited
to: soccer, tennis, festivals, concerts, and skateboarding.
The park also includes water gardens, children’s
playgrounds, beaches, nature trails, and an outdoor
movie theatre. Bicycles can be rented at the sports
center to the north and kayaks can be rented along the
docks to the south. The park is a place for activity as
much as a place for respite and retreat. Circulating
around the park activities is a continuous walkway. As it
ramps above the plazas, the walkway reveals 360 degrees
of views across the park and the ocean.
Hydrological Rehabilitation Design
Water Depth/Substrate Height
Planting/Slope Stabilization
Revetment/EmbankmentEncasementArtificial Bottom at Water Level
Coir LogCoconut FiberBiodegradable Netting
“Comp Pillow”Coconut FiberWire Mesh ContainerPolypropylene
High Marsh
Tidal Flushing Bulkhead Tidal Flushing Land Mass
Berm Low Marsh
High TideLow Tide
Substrate
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A
B
C
Stormwater Gardens
Bike Path
Bike Path
PlazaStormwater Gardens
Skate Park Walkway Food + Beverage Plaza Elevated Walkway
Amphitheatre
Sea Grass BedsMangrove RestorationEcology Trail
Sections (Refer to Park Programs + Services Plan for Location)
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At the water’s edge, the plazas transition into bicycling
paths and a promenade, which run parallel to each other,
at times separated by a vegetated median and park
benches. These paths run along a public beach that runs
the length of the park. Docks provide opportunities for
people to sit and feed fish, launch a kayak, or just relax
and sunbathe.
PARK ENVIRONMENT - A unique experience for visitors is
the opportunity to interact with mangroves, the world’s
most threatened ecosystem. Mangrove forests are
disappearing more quickly than the Amazon rainforest
and, according to the journal Science, are likely to be
destroyed entirely by the end of the century. Mangrove
forests create dramatic experiences of prospect and
refuge and make popular tourist attractions. Kayakers
can paddle up close to their roots and even venture along
trails between them. Hikers can access the mangrove
islands by boardwalk and see the unique breathing
roots along a viewing platform that is below sea-level.
Mangroves are also a fantastic opportunity for bird-
watching.
Mangroves, which saved lives in the 2004 tsunami
disaster in Southeast Asia, have been valued at US $3.5
million per square kilometer in Thailand. These trees
calm coastal waters, acting as a natural storm barrier. In
Aruba, mangroves can protect the park from sea winds
and cruise ship wakes. This ecosystem can provide a
range of habitats for several native species including
birds, crustaceans, and juvenile fish. Mangroves can play
a key role in rehabilitating the adjacent reef. Studies
have shown that fish are as much as twice as abundant on
reefs near mangrove forests. Some species, such as the
rainbow parrotfish, cannot survive without mangroves. It
is important that seagrass beds are also rehabilitated, as
the three systems rely on each other mutually.
D
Parking Plaza Waterfront Promenade
Beach KayakingMangroves Cruiseship
Disembarkment
Urban to Waterfront Transect (Refer to Park Programs + Services Plan for Location)
10m
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Park Plaza
Mangroves Walkway System
Waterfront Park RenderingsThe following renderings of the Waterfront Park show the environmental, connective and cultural highlights of the park
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78 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
Mangrove rehabilitation is very technical but fortunately
it is a subject that has been well studied in recent
years. First, hydrology of nearby swamp should serve
as a model. Channels should not be straight but should
meander like natural streams and enable tidal flushing.
Next, the substrate levels are extremely important.
Though the tidal fluctuation in Aruba is minimal, high
tide should be above the substrate level whereas the low
tide should be below. The floor of the substrate must not
be flat but should have variation as one might find in a
natural environment. Finally, planting mangroves must
be done with great care. For areas with high erosive
potential, revetment/embankment techniques, coir log
plantings, and the “comp pillow” technique (developed
by the Forest Institute of Malaysia) may secure the
plantings. Successful rehabilitation projects have been
completed across the world including the United States,
Ecuador, India, Thailand, Malaysia, and many other
places.
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Amphitheatre, Plaza, Water Garden + Fishing Docks
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80 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
BA
Seawater Greenhouse Productive
Landscape
Education Center
Seawater Greenhouse
Aquarium
Natural Science Museum
Experience
Learn
Innovate
Grow
Research Park + Cultural Center
100m
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RESEARCH PARK + CULTURAL CENTER
Redeveloping Oranjestad’s port provides the opportunity
to reconnect residents to the water, construct important
public amenities, unleash the untapped market potential
of the land, and improve the welcome experience for
cruise ship visitors. Following the example of other cities
like Baltimore, Sydney, and Chicago that have made
public institutions an important part of their successful
waterfronts, Oranjestad would benefit from including
anchor institutions within the port redevelopment.
The best implementation of this strategy would
be to encourage institutional uses that have both
entertainment and research components. The National
Archives can serve as an example of such an institution.
The archives play an important governmental role,
preserving and storing important documents, as well as
a social role, creating exhibitions that inform Arubans
about their history.
THE AQUARIUM OF THE CARIBBEAN – A NEW CULTURAL CENTER - The proposed institutional spaces are a hub
of learning and innovation that capitalize on the other
investments in residential development, park, and
cruise ship terminal. On the southern side of L.G. Smith
Boulevard, the major attraction is the Aquarium of the
Caribbean, which stands apart from other such cultural
attractions by allowing visitors to have an interactive
Fresh Water Collection
Condenser Deep Seawater Intake
Second Humidifier
Crops Humidifier Permeable Front
Surface Seawater Intake
Step 5 - Condensation
Fully saturated air passes through condenser, filled with cold deep sea water. Pure desalinated water condensates and is collect for use.
Step 4 - Second Humidification
Air passes through section seawater evaporator and is further humidified to saturation points.
Step 3 - Cooling
Air passes over plants and keeps the Seawater Greenhouse cool, where crops can grow in cool, high-light conditions.
Step 2 - Water Evaporation
Surface seawater trickles down the front wall evaporator. Wind passes through evaporator. Dust, salt and pollen are trapped and filtered out. Air exits humidified and cool.
Step 1 - Wind
Wind brings warm air through front of seawater greenhouse.
Seawater Greenhouse
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82 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
experience with marine life. Instead of a simple “come
and see” encounter, the proposed aquarium will be a
place to touch, swim with, and experience the magic of
marine life. The adjacent community water garden, tide
pools, and mangroves further emphasize this point by
providing outdoor spaces for interacting with the natural
environment and learning about local marine ecosystems.
Such a dynamic space also provides the opportunity
for the aquarium to be more than just a cultural
attraction. It should also have a research component,
possibly related to mangrove establishment and costal
restoration. In this way, the aquarium will be more
financial viable, incubate investment in the country
and create research jobs. The important idea for
the waterfront is not necessarily the presence of an
aquarium, per se, but any viable cultural institution that
can hold the interest of both tourists and residents alike
over the long-term. With sufficient programming and a
pan-Caribbean focus, we think a regional aquarium can
avoid some of the issues of past aquarium attempts in
Aruba.
NEW SEAWATER DESALINATION GREENHOUSE RESEARCH - On the north side of L.G. Smith Boulevard
is a productive landscape that is driven by an emerging
technology, Seawater Greenhouses. A Seawater
Greenhouse creates an ideal growing condition for all
types of crops, from vegetables and fruits to flowers,
producing fresh water in the process. The system mimics
the hydrological cycle where the sun heats seawater
which later cools and returns to the earth as freshwater
rain.
Through this technology, Aruba will be able to produce
water more sustainably and cheaply than conventional
reverse-osmosis desalination plants. As such, the entire
site is envisioned as both a production and research
facility. Thus the proposal recommends an educational
space, a warehouse, and a storage facility to support
production located on the north side of the street.
An elaborate version of this Seawater Greenhouse
system, placed in front of the aquarium, can provide a
public exhibition space. The large glass building will be
a major attraction for both Arubans and tourists alike.
Moreover, it provides a venue to educate people about
the important role that water plays in the ecosystem and
economy of Aruba.
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Section A
Section B
100m
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84 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
BOULEVARD ORIENTED OFFICE SPACE - Directly adjacent
to L.G. Smith Boulevard are buildings that provide
important office and ground floor retail space. These
buildings allow for the continuation of the street wall
along L.G. Smith Boulevard. Moreover, they capitalize
on the valuable land along L.G. Smith Boulevard and
the park, providing much needed office space that is
currently unavailable in the downtown.
In conjunction, these projects create a synergetic hub
where people come to experience, learn, grow and
innovate. Through strategic public investments, Arubans
will be more connected to the water and have access to
a better means of producing the fresh water. The city
and country will have a new iconic gateway that will
encourage tourists to disembark from the cruise ships.
Finally, Arubans will have new cultural spaces that help
to develop and strengthen the national identity.
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Perspective View of the Proposed Aquarium
DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN
KEY DOWNTOWN ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS
DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY
CIRCULATION + PARKING STRATEGY
STREETSCAPE STRATEGY + INITIATIVES
TRAM + PLAZA INITIATIVES
DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT INITIATIVES
LAGOON INITIATIVES
4
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DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN
KEY ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS
The downtown area of Oranjestad presents itself with
incredible opportunities for revitalization but there are
issues and constraints that must be addressed. Through
site analysis, our team came up with five key issues and
constraints that helped shape our design interventions:
a poor pedestrian environment; vehicular congestion;
an unclear parking strategy; difficulty in wayfinding; and
neglected or under-utilized amenities.
A lack of shade, poor pavement maintenance, and little
seating in the downtown area, combined with the hot
and humid climate of Aruba, make for a sometimes
uncomfortable pedestrian environment. Many locals
relayed this message in describing Oranjestad as having
an “indoor air-conditioning culture” rather than one
of livelier street activity. Combined with these issues,
Oranjestad is heavily dominated by the automobile.
Traffic and congestion is high in the downtown area,
increasing noise and pollution levels while making
sidewalks feel less safe and streets harder to cross.
While Oranjestad has a special car “cruising” culture
that we wish to preserve, additional actions must be
taken to make the city feel hospitable to all forms of
transportation, whether it be walking, biking, transit,
or automobile. The public realm of the downtown is
disjointed and incoherent. The proposed streetscape
program and tram along Main Street will go a long way in
remaking the downtown. However, an additional strategy
is also required for the other downtown streets. Over
20 different paving materials and patterns are evident in
the downtown area. This is not the way to build a visually
resonant public realm.
Due to the high volume of cars in the city, parking is
a major problem in the downtown area. Since most
Arubans commute or run errands by car, it is necessary to
provide adequate and easy-to-find parking while at the
same time making sure the downtown becomes a vibrant,
walkable place that does not feel like one big parking
lot. Starting from the idea of making parking easy to
locate, it is important for the city’s many attractions to
be easy to locate as well. Navigation and wayfinding are
keys issues facing the downtown. Superblocks and one
way streets throughout the downtown make it difficult
to get through the city on car and foot alike, especially
for those unfamiliar with the city. Additional signage
that directs visitors to key attractions and amenities is
needed to bridge this gap.
Due in part to the previously mentioned issues and
constraints, our final issue and constraint for the city
of Oranjestad is neglected and underutilized amenities.
Aside from the multiple cultural attractions like
museums, parliament buildings, and historical sites,
other amenities such as the marina waterfront are also
vital to the growth and development of Oranjestad.
View down a reimagined downtown street
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Currently, the marina and city waterfront area are
underutilized but provide a tremendous opportunity for
development. These cultural and physical attractions
should be both highlighted and better connected. They
are near each other but fairly disjointed at present
and tackling this through design can only add to the
attendance and use of these amenities. Cities worldwide
are remaking their waterfronts to attract visitors, induce
economic development and provide a memorable identity
for visitors.
DOWNTOWN STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY
Fundamentally, the structure plan for Downtown
Oranjestad is about enhancing circulation and increasing
amenity. To this end, four major proposals are offered
for the downtown area. Three of these, a re-imagining
of the area surrounding the lagoon as a sculpture garden,
the redesign of the relationship between downtown and
the marina, and new plaza spaces to welcome visitors
and celebrate the island’s native flora, are site-specific.
The fourth proposal is a set of streetscape typologies
and modified circulation patterns that improve vehicular
access, pedestrian comfort, and safety for all users
of the public realm. Though this proposal focuses on
Wilhelminastraat and adjacent streets, the typologies
can be extended to the entire downtown street network.
Each of these proposals builds upon the tram and
plaza project slated to help bring cruise ship visitors
to Oranjestad’s ‘Main Street’, Caya G.F. Bettico Croes.
If implemented individually, any one would serve to
improve conditions for a large area of downtown. When
viewed as a set, however, they form the powerful vision
of a new way to experience Oranjestad for residents and
visitors alike.
To understand how these projects interact with
one another, consider the experience of a visitor to
Oranjestad from any one of the hundreds of cruise ships
that visit Aruba every year. Upon disembarking their
ship, passengers will be presented with an attractive
public space featuring visitor information, small-
scale retail, light food, restrooms and a free tram to
the downtown commercial district. En route to the
commercial district, the tram will pass through an
urban botanical garden framing the Museo Arqueologico
Nacional.
Passing down Oranjestad’s Main Street, visitors will have
a number of stops at which they can get off the tram and
stroll or stop for a cool beverage at an umbrella-shaded
table. Upon reaching the end of the tram line, visitors
will be able to choose from any number of experiences.
If they are looking to relax, they will have the option of
walking along the calm waters of the lagoon, viewing
sculpture by Aruban and international artists. If they are
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UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | URBAN DESIGN STUDIO | FALL 2010
looking for more excitement, they will have the option of
walking down to a revitalized dining and entertainment
district along Wilhelminastraat. As they return to the
port, the new parliament plaza and redesigned marina
waterfront along L.G. Smith Boulevard provides them one
last unforgettable brush with Aruban culture.
This adaptable circuit of diverse sightseeing and retail
experiences is well-suited to the cruise ship tourist who
frequently has only 6-8 hours to visit the island before
reboarding their ship to head to the next port of call.
However, the strategies of this structure plan offer
numerous benefits for the Aruban people as well.
Adjusted traffic circulation patterns will make it easier
to get to, and get around, the downtown area. The
creation of a new, comprehensive parking strategy
will ease the pressures of finding a parking spot while
respecting some of the established parking practices of
Oranjestad. Each of the proposals addresses some of the
infrastructure issues that face downtown Oranjestad,
with a specific focus on improved stormwater drainage.
This is an issue of special note, because flooding is
an issue of public safety (as streets are made nearly
impassible), but also an issue of private property risk
as well. Finally, each proposal is targeted with an eye
toward improving economic conditions for the Aruban
people. By diversifying the scale of retail opportunities
and increasing pedestrian access, it is thought that new,
smaller, locally-owned enterprises might flourish.
Downtown Structure Plan
New Streetscaping
Plazas
Tram Line
New Structured Parking
New + Enhanced Buildings
50m
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CIRCULATION + PARKING STRATEGIES
To be an accessible city, downtown Oranjestad will
need to provide for both automobile and pedestrian
access. Ensuring a well populated downtown means
providing access for multiple modes of transportation,
including automobiles and pedestrians. The Traffic
Circulation Map illustrates the current and proposed
traffic circulation strategies for ensuring an efficient flow
in and around downtown. In its current state, there is
limited northbound access for automobiles. Cars must
take either Wilhelminastraat or L.G. Smith Boulevard to
circumnavigate the downtown. The design proposal for
Wilhelminastraat may further limit northbound traffic
flow. As such, we propose turning John G. Eman Straat
into a bi-directional road to alleviate the northbound
congestion on L.G. Smith Boulevard.
In addition to efficient traffic circulation, downtown
Oranjestad will also need an adequate parking system
to accommodate cars. While several existing parking
lots currently exist in the downtown area, many drivers
also use empty and vacant property as informal parking
lots. This circulation map proposes a number of new
parking lots, including current vacant lots, which should
be incorporated into a formal and integrated parking
system. Several of these proposed parking lots would be
located behind new development with street driveway
access.
No less important is a successful pedestrian circulation
strategy that will attract foot-traffic throughout
downtown. The Pedestrian Circulation Map indicates the
main pedestrian routes that should be priority streets for
downtown streetscape improvement strategies. These
demonstrate a pedestrian loop that will bring people in
and around downtown, pulling people past Oranjestad’s
main streets and attractions, including Main Street, the
Lagoon, Wilhelminastraat, Parliament, Fort Zoutman, and
the waterfront.
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Proposed New Circulation Routes
Major North/East Circulation Routes
Minor North/East Circulation Routes
Major South/West Circulation Routes
Minor South/West Circulation Routes
Proposed Parking
Existing Parking
Major Pedestrian Circulation Routes
Circulation + Parking Diagram
Pedestrian Circulation Diagram
25m
25m
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DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPE STRATEGY + INITIATIVES
Streets are the lifelines of Downtown Oranjestad, and
provide critical functions in a thriving and livable city.
The Downtown Oranjestad Streetscape Plan will support
the Visions and Design Principles outlined earlier in this
document. The primary function of the Streetscape
Plan is to make downtown Oranjestad a more pleasant
place for pedestrians while still accommodating cars
and other modes of transit. The Downtown Streetscape
Plan includes four streetscape typologies, each serving
a different function. These street design typologies can
be applied to different streets throughout downtown
Oranjestad depending on the use, location, and size of
the street
Wilhelminastraat
Restaurant Row
Feeder Street
Service Street
25m
Street Typologies Downtown Plan
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Street Typologies Downtown Plan
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Wilhelminastraat
Ped Zn
1.75m
Shared Ln
3m
Flex Sp
2.13m
Ped Zn
2.5m
Restaurant RowKruis Weg
Restaurant RowKruis Weg
Public Realm4m
Flex Space2.13m
Traffic Ln3m
Public Realm3.35m
Wilhelminastraat Wilhelminastraat
5m
5m
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WILHELMINASTRAAT - Wilhelminastraat serves as one of
the main travel arteries through downtown Oranjestad.
Unlike Main Street, which is primarily a shopping street,
Wilhelminastraat serves a different function for locals
and tourists: it has more service-oriented businesses,
restaurants, and historic sites. As Oranjestad becomes a
more well-connected city and memorable destination,
the Wilhelminastraat streetscape guidelines will help
to bolster the street’s unique assets. Most notably, the
streetscape improvements seek to widen the sidewalks to
provide more room for walking, sidewalk furniture, and
café seating. Parking spaces will be located at sidewalk
grade in-between street trees, which will provide much
needed shade from Aruba’s hot climate. A center drain
will help to alleviate stormwater run-off. This will
require coordination of a citywide stormwater strategy to
connect all the disparate parts of the Downtown.
RESTAURANT ROW - Downtown Oranjestad is ripe for a
lively restaurant scene. Already populated with a handful
of great restaurants, a street dedicated to outdoor
dining is a terrific opportunity to create a memorable
and unique destination for both locals and tourists.
Restaurant Row will be a woonerf (a single-grade, shared
street for cars and people), and will accommodate
outdoor dining and entertaining while still providing room
for through-traffic and occasional parking. Trees wells,
benches, and umbrellas will demarcate parking spaces.
This shared space will force drivers to drive slowly and
cautiously.
Restaurant RowView of enhanced streetscape, pedestrian, retail, and circulation conditions
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Shared Ln
3.2m
Flex Sp
2.13m
Ped Zn
1m
Ped Zn
1m
Service StreetOude School Straat
Service StreetOude School Straat
5m
Feeder StreetColombus Straat
Public Realm2.9m
Parking Ln2.13m
Traffic Ln
3mPublic Realm
2.9m
Feeder StreetColombus Straat
5m
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FEEDER STREETS - Feeder Streets are primary
thoroughfares in the circulation hierarchy of downtown
Oranjestad. Similar to the other street typologies, Feeder
Streets will have wider sidewalks to accommodate
pedestrians. Car parking will be available in between
curb bulb-outs. These bulb-outs provide two functions:
1. as traffic calming devices; and 2. to increase sidewalk
space for furniture or other outdoor activities. Sidewalks
will be on a higher grade than the car traffic lane. The
street will be lined with trees and light fixtures, which
will provide shade and light.
SERVICE STREETS - The Service Street typology was
initially designed for Klip Straat, but can be applied
to many of the side streets throughout Downtown
Oranjestad. Similar to Restaurant Row, Service Streets
will be single-surface, shared streets. Paving materials
and trees will demarcate protected pedestrian-only
space. Car parking will be located on one side of the
street, which will alternate every block. The trees will
line one side of the street and will also alternate every
block, which will help to slow car traffic.
WilhelminastraatView of integrated pedestrian and vehicular space, enhanced retail conditions, and flexible parking/public realm areas
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TRAM + PLAZA INITIATIVES
The current entry sequence from the cruise ship terminal
into the city is less than ideal. Cruise ship passengers
pass through a “Checkpoint Charley” type of barbed
wire security gate before arriving at an unappealing taxi
roundabout filled with broken down vendor’s shacks,
where they can buy inexpensive tourist trinkets. The
first view of the city is the wall to a government public
works yard. Signage and wayfinding to direct visitors to
the downtown is non-existent. This is not an experience
that Aruba deserves and it endangers the economic
livelihood of downtown shopkeepers and the city as a
whole.
COMPLETING THE DOWNTOWN TRAM SYSTEM - Over
the past year, decisions were made by Government to
build a downtown tram system that will carry cruise
ship passengers directly from the terminal facility,
across L.G. Smith Boulevard, to the end of Main
Street at Plaza Commercio. From there, the battery-
operated bi-directional tram will loop around the Plaza
Commercio block and return to the cruise ship facility.
The Downtown Structure Plan delineates the route the
tram will travel through the downtown. A first phase of
streetscape and plaza design includes only the area from
Plaza Daniel Leo up Main Street to Plaza Commercio.
The streetscape design utilizes a strategy of closely
planted street trees in large at grade planting beds
to provide a continuous canopy for purposes of shade
delivery to pedestrians. The street will be continuously
paved from building line to building line with permeable
pavers and a storm drain system that incorporates the
tree wells and planting beds to infiltrate water. The
design of four plazas is also incorporated into the
streetscape design, including two mid-block plazas
5m
Welcome Plaza Section
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at the Aruba Trading Company and near the Bon Bini
Department Store. The plazas will be treated as special
design moments along the tram line to punctuate a
rather simple streetscape strategy. Festival lighting will
be strung from street lights to enable different seasonal
lighting patterns. As currently phased, the tramscape
stops at the western edge of Plaza Daniel Leo. This
proposal will complete the tram and streetscape from
Plaza Daniel Leo to the cruise ship terminal. As currently
designed the tram will loop to the south of Plaza Daniel
Leo to the Welcome Plaza on a dedicated one way rail
before coming together on a single rail when crossing
Daniel Leo to the cruise ship terminal. On its way to
Main Street, it will have a dedicated one-way rail down
Schleppestraat from the Welcome Plaza until it becomes
a bi-directional rail on Main Street near Plaza Daniel Leo.
STREETSCAPE DESIGN - This western portion of the
tramscape includes two new plazas and the streets
between them that connect to the Phase 1 tram: a
Welcome Plaza at the intersection of L.G. Smith
Boulevard and the cruise terminal street, and a plaza at
the national archaeological museum. These two plazas
will each have a separate design that reinforces different
use objectives. The streetscape between the plazas will
continue the strategy of heavily planted street trees to
provide a shade canopy. The streetbed will again run
continuously across the street from building edge to
building edge without raising the sidewalks to curb level.
Bollards and granite edged planters will separate through
traffic from pedestrian areas. Behind the Welcome
Plaza, the street pattern will be reconnected to provide
throughput from downtown to the new Desalination
Greenhouse Research Facility. Across the street from the
plaza, a significant new multi-story parking garage will
be constructed as the lynchpin in the larger downtown
parking strategy. With the tram running adjacent to this
parking, employees of downtown shops can park and ride
Western Tram + Streetscape Proposal
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the tram to jobs, without parking in spaces valued by
shoppers directly off Main Street. A series of new retail
buildings will be located around this parking structure,
as well as embedded into the ground floor of the parking
structure facing the street. The tram to Schleppestraat
will run in a reconfigured straight line in the pedestrian
area between an alee of trees behind the bus station and
two new buildings, until it meets the downtown street
grid. From the intersection with Westraat, the tram
follows Schleppestraat directly until it connects with the
Phase 1 tram at Plaza Daniel Leo.
A NEW WELCOME PLAZA – The Welcome Plaza on
L.G. Smith Boulevard will focus on the tram station
at the center of the plaza, providing a heavily shaded
tree canopy for tram riders waiting for the train to
arrive. The plaza will be bounded at its edges by new
buildings that frame the plaza. At the west will be a
signature Welcome Center with a glass façade. This
will serve as the information and tourist visitor center
for the downtown. It will provide wayfinding and tour
information as well as bathrooms for downtown visitors.
Across the plaza will be a market hall that re-houses
the vendors who will be relocated from the existing
market area at the other side of L.G. Smith Boulevard.
This market hall will be designed to evoke the profile
of Aruba’s historic kunuku houses. It will provide
permanent vendor space that opens to the outside. This
building will also help provide a new edge to the bus
station and help to define it as a space. The bus station
parking area will be newly buffered by an alee of trees to
the west and north. The return route for the tram runs
directly to the north of the bus parking area, which runs
directly across the north end of the Welcome Plaza to a
‘car barn’ where the tram cars can be parked at night
and be repaired when necessary. In all likelihood this
will need to be a new building designed specifically for
this purpose. The Welcome Plaza itself will be designed
with a canopy of trees and planters around the edges
in a diamond fashion to shape a space at the center,
and provide a pavement pattern emanating from the
Welcome Center. This place will be a multi-use plaza that
can accommodate the tram, comfortable seating, special
market events, and a memorable entry sequence into the
city.
REDESIGN OF MUSEUM PLAZA – The final piece of
this entry sequence is Museum Plaza at the National
Archaeological Museum. Currently the plaza is a stone
paved semi-circle, scorched with sun, with under-sized
and struggling plant life. The driving programmatic
idea is for this plaza to become the national botanical
garden. It will feature the indigenous plant life of the
island, including trees, thorn brush, cactus, grasses,
and flowering groundcovers. Two requirements were
necessary in the design of this plaza: 1. maintaining a
clear view to the museum across the plaza to adequately
see the historic buildings; and 2. maintaining the small
Rendering of landscaped passage to Museum Plaza
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surface parking lot to the east of the plaza with vehicular
access across the plaza. This accessway is located
parallel and abutting the buildings, and paved flush with
plaza materials. The new plaza is designed with a semi-
circular water feature at the center. Both pavement and
walkway lines radiate out from the center of this pool to
structure the planting areas, perimeter trees, pathways,
and furniture. The plaza has a semi-circular alee of
palms around its perimeter, between which are urban
chaise lounges for relaxing in the shade or sun. At the
edges of the plaza and in the interstitial planters around
the plaza, the botanical garden is planted in an organic
manner, punctuated by local stone boulders, and labeled
with the names of the plant life. Two primary pathways
access the garden: 1. radiating from the center to
the parking lot at the grocery store across the street
and connecting to Havenstraat; and 2. radiating from
the center and pointed toward Schleppestraat in the
direction of Plaza Daniel Leo. These two radiating paths
provide a formal access structure to the plaza. The
botanical garden provides a nice synergy with the nature
of the archaeology museum – providing educational
spaces both inside and outside the buildings.
5m
Museum Plaza
Museum Plaza Section
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DOWNTOWN MARINA INITIATIVES
The Oranjestad downtown marina site extends along L.G.
Smith Boulevard from the lagoon to the new Welcome
Plaza. Site analysis indicated that L.G. Smith Boulevard
was becoming a barrier to waterfront access. Trying to
understand how the two sides of the street could be
unified helped to guide the structuring of the waterfront
experience and shape ways of thinking about how this
space could be better used. The final design of the
downtown marina site highlights four key contributions
that could make this area into a vibrant place and most
importantly, into an Aruban destination. These four
design interventions are: 1. streetscape enhancements
along L.G. Smith Boulevard; 2. a continuous and
uninterrupted boardwalk around the marina; 3. new
commercial venues between the street and marina; and,
4. a large radial plaza spanning from the Parliament
building to the water’s edge.
DESIGNING A DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPE FOR L.G. SMITH BOULEVARD - The L.G. Smith Boulevard
streetscape plan calls for one consistent sidewalk
spanning the length of this site on both sides of the
street. The sidewalk will be widened (especially on
the northern side) to include 4m of pedestrian right-
of-way and 2m for trees and pedestrian-level light
standards. Together with this sidewalk, date palm trees
will be planted every 5.5m along the length of the street
with up-lights that highlight the under-canopy. This
tight spacing is necessary to make palm trees into a
continuous shade canopy – otherwise they are merely
decorative. Intersections within the downtown area
should be signalized with variable timing to allow control
during different traffic loads. Adding a planted median
to the street (where possible) will narrow the road for
drivers thus slowing traffic. In addition, new crosswalks
should be added at intersections and mid-block locations
to encourage pedestrian safety and comfort. These
moves will not only make the pedestrian environment
more comfortable by providing much needed shade and
lighting, but they will also form an imageable means of
shaping the street. L.G. Smith Boulevard is the most
heavily trafficked road in Aruba. Giving it the look of
a more formal boulevard will be eye-catching and alert
people to the importance of the street.
EXTENDING A CONTINOUS BOARDWALK AROUND THE MARINA - One of the great amenities of the current
marina is the boardwalk that runs along part of it, but
is incomplete around certain parts. The boardwalk can
become a greater destination because it helps to connect
people to the water on a much more comfortable scale
than a concrete bulkhead can generate. This plan calls
for these boardwalk successes in Oranjestad’s marina to
be expanded and continued around the entire marina.
This will create more public space along the waterfront
and become an important way for tourists and locals to
move around the harbor. The current bridge over the
Renaissance Hotel’s boat inlet is narrow and pinches
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A
A`
B
B`
pedestrian flow; it should be replaced with a wider,
more generous crossing. And if any visitor decides to
take a break from walking, stone planter benches should
be provided along the boardwalk to allow lingering and
respite under shade trees. The use of memorable shade
trees such as bright orange flamboyants or pink barba
di joncumans would provide great imageability for the
boardwalk.
NEW SHOPPING AND RESTAURANT VENUES ON THE WATERFRONT – Currently, on the southwest side of L.G.
Smith Boulevard, there are many small retail shops that
sell primarily imported tourist souvenirs. While these
shops are an important part of the marina experience
for tourists, this plan envisions this prime waterfront
space as one that can be shared by tourists and Arubans
alike. By remaking the unsightly and pedestrian
unfriendly parking lot in front of these buildings, space
is freed to do something much more exciting with this
space. This plan calls for new double-sided buildings to
be constructed, where retail shops can face L.G. Smith
Boulevard while cafes, bars and restaurants can face
the marina. On the northwest part of the site next to
the currently abandoned condo building, a large market
hall can be constructed serving Arubans looking for
fresh meats and produce as well as tourists looking to
experience local flavors. The market hall is fronted by
a significant café and dining space along the boardwalk.
Also within this area will be public bathrooms maintained
by a new business improvement district created by this
Downtown Oranjestad / L.G. Smith Boulevard and Marina Plan
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development. There is certainly a lack of comfortable
outdoor food and beverage culture in Oranjestad and
many people (especially tourists) travel north to the
hotel areas for food and drinks. The buildings will
feature a plant-covered pergola along their length on
both sides to shade shoppers and restaurant patrons.
On the water side, built in planters form protected café
areas with stone double-sided seating that addresses
both café and water. The second floor of these buildings
can become additional club and restaurant spaces
with great views of the marina and water. Rather than
object buildings that call attention to themselves, these
buildings should become part of the waterfront fabric,
providing backdrops for waterfront activity. This prime
waterfront location in the heart of Oranjestad could
become the most popular restaurant and bar destination
in Aruba and signal a major economic shift back to the
city.
A PLAZA WORTHY OF PARLIAMENT - Not only is the
National Government of Aruba housed in Oranjestad, it is
situated within the bounds of this waterfront site. As it
sits now, members of Parliament have a great view……of
a parking lot. While the Parliament building itself is only
about 60 meters from the ocean’s edge, it is separated
by a large parking lot, a busy L.G. Smith Boulevard,
and then a small lawn. This space can be utilized in
such a way to create a multi-purpose public gathering
space as well as call attention to the Parliament’s place
in Oranjestad. While traffic will be able to pass along
L.G. Smith Boulevard, paving and planting schemes will
extend outward from the Parliament building’s entrance
until reaching the boardwalk, creating a unified public
space able to accommodate anything from large political
gatherings to intimate conversations under the shade of
trees. Bollards will protect pedestrians walking along the
street, and channel people to an easy mid-block crossing.
The semi-circular shape of this space will resonate
with other public plazas throughout the downtown,
including the new Museum Plaza. Those on foot or car
will notice the alee of palms running along L.G. Smith
Boulevard open up to a wide paved and planted space.
The semi-circular plaza will extend from the front door
of Parliament in a radiating pattern, cross the street in
an unbroken manner, and be bordered by a continuous
half-circle of shade trees. A central feature of the plaza
is a raised perimeter planting bed landscaped with
boulders and native species that abuts the boardwalk.
A pedestrian path winds through the 1m high planter,
allowing visitors to experience some of the native Aruban
landscape up close while still in a shaded environment. A
small cabana in the northwest of the plaza (tucked away
near the bridge) can serve anyone looking to eat and
take respite in the plaza. The Parliament Plaza takes
this portion of Oranjestad’s downtown waterfront from
parking lot to vibrant and memorable cultural destination
and key piece in the city’s marina redevelopment.
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L.G. SMITH BLVD COMMERCIAL BOARDWALKRETAIL
Section AA redefined retail experience and public realm along the Marina
L.G. SMITH BLVDPARLIAMENT + PLAZA PLAZA + NATURE WALK BOARDWALK
Section BA plaza at the Parliament building with improved public realm conditions connecting to the Marina
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LAGOON INITIATIVES
This re-envisioning of Oranjestad’s lagoon as a
landscaped sculpture walk is designed to provide a new
cultural amenity for residents and visitors alike, while
improving pedestrian access between downtown and
adjacent neighborhoods. One key goal of the proposal
is to increase pedestrian traffic through the area by the
creation of new amenity, spurring the redevelopment of
the vacant buildings at either end of the project area.
Currently the lagoon serves as a necessary landscape
finger into the city. Its banks are steeply sloped to a
tidal waterway that also serves as a storm drainage
outfall. Little programming is currently situated along
its banks and it seems like a potential amenity that is
under-designed and under-utilized; also known as a lost
opportunity.
FRAMING THE LAGOON WITH IMPROVED STREETSCAPES
- The streets around the lagoon will be redesigned
to give increased priority to non-motorized traffic
and increasing amenity for pedestrians. To this end,
vehicular travel lanes will be narrowed to slow traffic.
This will allow space for additional services for motorists
and pedestrians alike. Along the streets the new and
widened sidewalks and the provision of shade trees will
create a pleasant environment in which to walk, either
for pleasure or as a commuter.
Part of the revised streetscape will include formalized
on-street parking areas along the length of the lagoon.
This new approach to parking along the lagoon should
help prevent residents parking informally on the interior
of the site when parking facilities at nearby offices and
businesses are full. While these spaces are intended to
be free to users on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis, they
could easily be adapted into metered spaces as part of
a citywide parking strategy. Additionally, reworking the
streetscape will enable the inclusion of an integrated
stormwater management system. This will help protect
both the proposed landscape from the intense surface
erosion it now suffers and alleviate some of the flooding
problems common to adjacent streets and properties.
Section A - Near L.G. Smith Boulevard
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A’
B
B’
Lagoon ParkThis re-envisioning of Oranjestad’s lagoon as a landscaped sculpture walk is designed to provide a new cultural amenity for residents and visitors alike.
A
50m
A NEW SCULPTURE GARDEN ALONG THE LAGOON -
Running the length of the lagoon itself, a new series of
paved pathways will guide pedestrians along a series of
well-placed sculptures, which are carefully placed in
the landscape. These sculptures, commissioned by both
Aruban and international artists, will be placed into the
landscape based on the topography of the site and will
act as totemic markers, drawing pedestrians through the
site.
The parkland surrounding the lagoon will be shaped into
distinct spaces using both the natural topography of the
site and varying levels of native vegetation. A series of
grand lawns at the southwestern end of the site invite
residents to engage in informal play and relaxation.
In areas with more natural variation in topography,
different levels of vegetation create the play of shadow
and light across pathways of the sculpture walk, creating
an engaging and diverse experience.
The new spaces created along the lagoon will also
serve the adjacent neighborhoods by providing three
new crossings of the canal itself: two ‘stepping
stone’ pathways across the water and one elevated
pedestrian bridge. This will provide easier pedestrian
access from neighborhoods to the southeast of
downtown that, previously, might have felt somewhat
disconnected from the amenities and opportunities of
the commercial core of Oranjestad.
There are several under-utilized or abandoned
structures along the project area. Each of these,
given some modest rehabilitation, could serve well
as incubators for locally-owned businesses. As public
investment in the park space begins to draw additional
visitors to the lagoon, these sites will become
attractive for rehabilitation. Their relatively small
size, and the fact there are buildings extant on each
site, makes them particularly attractive for adaptive
reuse as either locally-serving retail or small-scale food
and beverage enterprises.
10m
Section B - Near Irenestraat
NEIGHBORHOOD STRUCTURE PLAN DETAIL
DESCRIPTION OF NEIGHBORHOODS, KEY ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS
NEIGHBORHOOD STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY
CIRCULATION STRATEGY
LAND USE + INFILL STRATEGY
HYDROLOGIC INITIATIVES
STREETSCAPE + WOONERF INITIATIVES
NEW NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER INITIATIVES
NEW CAMPUS ANCHOR
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NEIGHBORHOOD STRUCTURE PLAN DETAIL
DESCRIPTION OF NEIGHBORHOODS, KEY ISSUES AND CONSTRAINTS
OVERVIEW OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND PLAYA PA’ BAO - Playa Pa’ Bao is a region located directly adjacent
to downtown Oranjestad and separated from the
port by a light-industrial district. On one scale Playa
Pa’ Bao is a region, on another it is a series of four
discrete neighborhoods, Rancho, Socotoro, Madiki, and
Santa Helena. While each neighborhood has different
characteristics, they function together as a system
connected physically, economically, and socially. To fully
address the key issues and constraints it was necessary to
plan at both the regional and neighborhood scale.
Though Playa Pa’ Bao functions as a region, there are
unique patterns of development that differentiate each
neighborhood. Rancho is the oldest neighborhood in
Playa Pa’ Bao and has fine-grained development with
small historic houses, irregular lots, narrow roads, and
pedestrian walkways that cut between the blocks. Since
the neighborhood abuts the downtown, there are also a
variety of businesses from restaurants to grocery stores
used by both locals and visitors. More recently, many
of the homes have fallen into disrepair and the area is
known for an association with drugs that spills into the
surrounding neighborhoods and the downtown. Rancho
has a general lack of social amenities, and a reputation
for rampant public drug use. Rancho’s drug-related
reputation adversely impacts the local economy, street
safety, and public health. Despite these challenges,
the area has a strong identity and many people strongly
associate with the neighborhood after they move away.
Socotoro was originally an agave plantation and is now
a continuation of Rancho with a mix of older homes and
businesses. Madiki is rapidly being developed despite
problems with flooding when it rains. Many of the roads
have not been paved but new housing is filling all the
available spaces, accounting for much of the region’s
population growth. There is a high demand for more
public and recreational space in the area. People
have resorted to moving their own patio furniture into
the vacant lots to create spaces for gathering. Santa
Helena is a middle class residential neighborhood and
is characterized by wide streets and well kept houses
buffered from the street by walled off front yards.
PHYSICAL NETWORKS - On the regional scale, the
two primary networks impacting Playa Pa’ Bao are the
transportation and environmental systems. There are a
number of problems with the street network in Playa Pa’
Bao, which promotes a culture of auto-dependence and
discourages other modes of travel within, between, and
outside of the neighborhoods. Sidewalks are too narrow
to allow comfortable pedestrian travel. Pedestrian
movement is further hindered by people parking on
the sidewalks on residential streets. Finally, there is no
bus service within the neighborhoods further enforcing
auto-dependence. In terms of environmental systems,
Rendering of an open space created on a vacant neighborhood lot, providing green space, stormwater infrastructure, and the centerpiece of an expanded Xavier University
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URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD
Playa Pa’ Bao is central to the natural ecology of the
Oranjestad region. The area lies on some of the flattest
land in Aruba and suffers from serious flooding during
heavy rain. Water from surrounding areas of Oranjestad
flows through the neighborhood on its way to the sea.
Runoff carries with it trash and pollutants that seriously
harm the health of reefs along the Oranjestad coast.
As the neighborhood runs out of room to expand, new
housing is being built on critical natural habitats,
reducing the area’s ability to absorb floodwaters.
Further complicating the problem is the concentration
of stormwater infrastructure in older areas like Rancho.
These systems are unable to handle the runoff from
outlying areas like Santa Helena or Madiki. Without
redundancy in the system, the aging systems are easily
overwhelmed and do not connect the people to the
environmental processes so important to sustaining
Aruba.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS - Playa Pa’ Bao has
been transformed over time as spatial and economic
development patterns have shaped and reshaped the
area. The first industry in the area was fishing. The
neighborhood of Rancho was previously located much
closer to the water than it is now. This was succeeded
by a chalk kiln and then light industry. As the economy of
the neighborhood became less dependent on the sea, the
area also lost the spatial connection to the waterfront as
the natural harbor was filled.
More recently, Playa Pa’Bao’s immigrant population
grew by almost 20% between 1991 and 2000 while
overall unemployment simultaneously grew. In spite of
population growth the economy has not kept pace, nor
have government services. In general, there is a lack of
access to public facilities and services, as schools and
recreational facilities are inaccessible to many residents.
There are also few public spaces, resulting in a lack of
public life and social opportunities. Despite the area’s
challenges, there are also important opportunities to
consider. The neighborhoods are characterized by strong
community networks. Close-knit inter-generational ties
and strong political participation mean that residents
have built-in social support systems. Such strong
community networks facilitate the implementation and
ownership of future community-oriented projects.
Altogether, the projects we designed to address
these issues are not necessarily a demonstration of
neighborhood improvement which will work everywhere
but a model for how to approach neighborhood planning.
At times, our ideas may not be typical but they
demonstrate innovative problem solving and how a single
project can simultaneously provide numerous benefits.
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NEIGHBORHOOD STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY
Playa Pa’Bao boasts an adjacency to the ocean and
downtown, historically significant structures, and strong,
lively communities. Despite such assets, however,
the area lacks adequate public spaces for meaningful
social gatherings, adequate infrastructure to manage
flooding, and access to social services and amenities.
The initiatives for Playa Pa’Bao directly target the
area’s needs in an interconnected and comprehensive
manner, with a mind towards social and environmental
sustainability.
The neighborhood structure plan emphasizes continuous
connectivity and access to various sites and amenities
across Oranjestad. Playa Pa’Bao is connected to the
waterfront initiative as well as the downtown area by
a proposed tram loop. The tram would travel from
the Welcome Plaza, up Weststraat, down the first ring
road and the redesigned L.G. Smith Boulevard, and
back again. The loop connects residents and visitors to
proposed and existing amenities throughout Oranjestad,
and creates a physical and perceptual unity between
the city’s diverse neighborhoods. The tram also brings
potential mixed use and commercial development along
Weststraat, enhancing residents’ economic opportunity
and retail choices.
The Green Necklace is a major initiative that addresses
the hydrologic, public space, and ecological needs of
the area. Building on an existing stormwater-course
that begins on the eastern boundary of the site, the
Green Necklace is a continuous bioswale and pedestrian
boardwalk that bisects the east-west axis of Playa
Pa’Bao. The linear boardwalk and water-course continue
west until Dreimasterstraat, where the pedestrian
pathways lead to a neighborhood park and eventually
to the first ring road. Meanwhile, a series of swales
and culverts absorb and carry the stormwater to a
large natural retention area to the northwest. The
Green Necklace works in conjunction with a proposed
green street along Dreimasterstraat. Green streets are
also proposed on a small neighborhood street on the
northwest of the neighborhood and the southwestern
end of the ring road, connecting the Necklace to the
waterfront. The Green Necklace also connects to the
Madiki Square initiative, a redesigned neighborhood park
that incorporates the watercourse and offers activities
for residents.
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Rancho Woonerf Network
Playa Pa Bao Community Center
Westraat Upgrade + Tram
Xavier University Park
Madiki Square
Green Street
Green Necklace
Green Necklace
Tram
Stormwater Retention Site
Green Street
Tram
250m
Neighborhood Structure Plan and Project Map
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The Rancho Woonerf Network connects the residents to
the downtown and waterfront areas by improving the
accessibility and imageability of Rancho. A woonerf
system allows roads to be shared by pedestrians,
automobiles and cyclists while allowing for adequate
drainage during the rainy season. Such a system will
allow pedestrians greater access to various parts of
the neighborhood, promote a healthy public life, and
enhance community networks.
The Playa Pa’Bao Community Center is strategically
located off Weststraat’s proposed tram and the Rancho
Woonerf initiative. The proposed community center
features a public swimming pool, a Queen Conch
farm, and a restaurant. The initiative would function
as an important cultural and economic asset for the
community, generating jobs and revenue for residents
while offering a lively destination for all. The proposal
calls for an environmentally and economically sustainable
local industry that empowers the local community and
creates a vibrant neighborhood destination.
Continuing north on Weststraat is Xavier University Park,
which works in conjunction with the larger hydrological
initiatives. Connected by Weststraat’s bioswales and
tram, the proposal for Xavier University’s expansion
includes additional academic facilities as well as an
ecological park, plaza, retail hub, and a comprehensive
stormwater/greywater management scheme. The plan
responds to the neighborhood’s need for active public
spaces, a vibrant cultural institution, and adequate
infrastructure to manage heavy floods.
While the proposals for Weststraat’s tram and the
Green Necklace offer axial connections across Playa
Pa’Bao, recommended street enhancements along
the first ring road, Venezuelastraat and Boliviastraat
will further strengthen the connections between site-
specific initiatives and existing amenities. Overall, Playa
Pa’Bao’s plan responds to Oranjestad’s vision of being a
connected, sustainable city with a vibrant economy and
strong communities.
CIRCULATION STRATEGY
The circulation strategy aims to make the streets
of Rancho, Socotoro, Santa Helena and Madiki more
accommodating to all users including pedestrians,
bicyclists, motorists and public transit riders. The
road system loosely creates a cellular grid throughout
the neighborhood, with clusters of residential streets
surrounded by busier roads that accommodate through
traffic.
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Downtown Tram
Playa Pa’Bao Tram
Existing Bus Service
Proposed New + Extended Transit Service
250m
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The biggest change to proposed circulation is to make
Driemasterstraat and Weststraat alternating one-
way roads. This is done to accommodate a one way
tram on Weststraat and a green bio-swale corridor on
Driemasterstraat. Weststraat will become northbound
for much of its length, while Driemasterstraat will run
southbound. The Weststraat tram will form a one-way
loop running from the Welcome Plaza up to Belgiestraat
ring road, and the waterfront. The loop will provide a
stronger link between downtown and the neighborhoods.
Though it will be one way, we estimate the tram loop
will take only 20 minutes to complete. While the tram
is a long term proposal, in the short term a reworked
Weststraat could accommodate a new bus line along the
future tram right of way. Weststraat will also feature a
number of streetscape updates to solidify its position
as the main link across the neighborhood. Planted
swales will alternate with parking to provide shade and
better manage stormwater. Along Driemasterstraat a
new continuous swale will channel water toward the
sea and provide stormwater relief for the overwhelmed
stormwater sewer underneath the street. The sidewalk
along the bioswale will be widened to 2 meters,
providing space for bicyclists and pedestrians, and linking
to the east west greenway.
Along residential streets, changes to circulation reflect
a desire to discourage through traffic. In Rancho,
Dutch style woonerfs will create shared spaces for
motorists and pedestrians. While woonerfs allow two
way access, they will be narrow enough to discourage
motorists from cutting through. In other parts of the
neighborhood, residential streets will remain two way.
The existing street grid is such that only a handful
of focus streets create paths for through traffic. The
majority of residential roads only run for a few blocks
and motorists use them to access local houses and
businesses. Finally a new recreation corridor will run
through the neighborhood from East to West. Part of the
“green necklace” hydrological scheme, this path will
connect the neighborhoods to surrounding recreation
facilities and the waterfront. At select points in Madiki,
intersection roadways will become woonerfs to ease
pedestrian movement along the paths.
LAND USE + INFILL STRATEGY
Playa Pa’Bao is a region composed of four neighborhoods
Rancho, Socotoro, Madiki, and Santa Helena. While they
compose a region, their varying physical characteristics
have a direct impact on future land use and infill
strategies. Specifically, Rancho has a fine-grained
character with small houses and narrow roads and a mix
of retail, commercial, and residential uses. It is also has
a concentration of historic Kunuku houses. Socotoro is
in many ways similar to Rancho but was developed after
Rancho and is generally more residential with pockets
of retail development. Madiki has been developed most
recently and as a result many blocks are incomplete
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Major Arterial
Local Streets
Woonerf
Proposed Circulation
Pedestrian / Bike Path
250m
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and roads unfinished. Santa Helena is a middle class
residential neighborhood and is characterized by wide
streets and well kept houses. Any proposed infill or land
use strategies should address these local differences.
INFILL SITES AND GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN REDEVELOPMENT - While a specific infill program was
not created as part of this project, the opportunities and
constraints map shows the parcels that are most in need
of assistance or most prone to change. In addition, within
the Rancho Woonerf Plan, sites/properties that should be
targeted for redevelopment are highlighted in grey.
The most important aspect of any infill development is to
focus investments around areas that are already active
or have the most potential to become active. An example
of such sites would be vacant land along a new tram line.
Concentrating investments is these areas will help create
complete districts or support the growth of the critical
market that will encourage private development. As
investments are made overtime, land uses changes and
selection of infill sites should address and complement
this activity. In addition, vacant lots, especially those on
the periphery of the neighborhood, can be used as water
retention areas during the rainy season.
Historic designations and subsidy for historic
redevelopment are another way to promote
reinvestment. This type of program could be especially
successful in areas where a number of Kunuku homes
are located around each other, such as in Rancho.
Historic programs are just one example of public/private
partnerships. Through the formation of partnerships
between government, NGO’s and neighborhood
organizations, a formal basis for community participation
can be created. These open lines of communication
allow residents to have impacts on neighborhood
specific projects and will result in greater ownership of
completed projects.
LAND USES - Land uses should complement one another
and support local cultural, retail, and commercial areas.
They should contribute to a complete and interconnected
system. Sites that are the only vacant or undeveloped
parcel on a block should be targeted first. Investment
in local serving social services, cultural amenities,
and community institutions lay the groundwork for an
improvement in the overall improvement in quality
of life. Overtime these investments will result in a
greater connection to Playa Pa’ Bao and will result in
more community involvement and social interaction,
and subsequently, the long-term reinvestment by and
permanence of residential populations.
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Residential
Commercial
Institutional
Land Use
Vacant
250m
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HYDROLOGIC INITIATIVES
EXISTING HYDROLOGICAL SYSTEM - The neighborhoods
of Playa Pa’ Bao sit on some of the lowest laying land in
Aruba. During heavy rain events, stormwater flows into
the neighborhood. Modern urban development and the
construction of the port have blocked the natural outlet
for water to reach the sea. Furthermore urbanization has
reduced the capacity of the land to handle stormwater,
with fewer undeveloped acreage, stormwater pools on
streets and private property.
The existing stormwater infrastructure is concentrated
in the neighborhoods closest to downtown and stretches
out into Santa Helena and Madiki. Rancho and much of
Socotoro have storm sewers underneath most streets.
Furthermore, these parts of Playa Pa Boa are located
along a gentle slope, allowing for good sheet drainage
to the ocean. Running along the border of Socotoro and
Santa Helena is an open air stormwater channel. This
channel runs from the eastern periphery of Oranjestad
and through the neighborhoods to a storm sewer along
Driemasterstraat. The newer developed portions of
the neighborhoods, Madiki and Santa Helena, have less
stormwater infrastructure. Furthermore these areas have
poorer drainage to the sea. In Madiki, water runs parallel
to the coast and pools in significant quantity. In Santa
Helena stagnant water collects behind the Xavier Medical
School.
The stormwater that does exist in newer areas frequently
overwhelms the older stormwater system in Rancho.
Flooding can cause a chain of effects that impact all
neighborhoods along the way to the sea. Development
has further reduced the area’s capacity to handle
stormwater. As more parts of the neighborhoods are built
upon, there are fewer areas where water can collect
and percolate into the ground. Today, two sink holes in
Madiki play an important part in managing stormwater
by providing a space for the water to seep into the
limestone ground.
GREEN NECKLACE PROPOSAL - To help mitigate the
stormwater problems faced by the neighborhoods of
Playa Pa’ Bao, we propose developing an integrated
approach to stormwater management. Aruba experiences
heavy rains at certain times of the year, but for the most
part is a dry climate. To expand the storm sewer capacity
to meet present needs, the government would have to
spend large sums of money for infrastructure that would
remain unused most of the year. Furthermore, expanding
sewers would have little effect on the coastal pollution
caused by stormwater.
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Madiki Square
Sports Facilities
Community Gardens
Community Center+ Bushiri
Waterfront
RANCHO
SANTA HELENA
MADIKI
SOCOTRO
250m
The Green Necklace Trail PlanThe Green Necklace is an integrated stormwater and recreation system that handles excess stormwater while providing recreation areas for residents
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Trail Typologies
Hydrological System Typologies
SECTION
SECTION
Roadside Trail Rain Garden Trail
Boardwalk Trail Channelside Trail
SECTION
SECTION
Stormwater Channel
Sewer Raingarden Swale Underground Culvert
Roadside SwaleSinkholes
Instead of expanding sewer capacity, we propose a
system of green infrastructure that will reduce the
volume of water entering existing sewers. This green
infrastructure would act as a multifunctional investment;
while during heavy storms it would mitigate flooding, but
during other times of the year, the infrastructure would
serve as a recreation space, leisure space and natural
habitat.
At the center of our hydrological plan is the green
necklace, a recreation and stormwater management
system which runs through the heart of the
neighborhoods from east to west.
The green necklace begins east of the project area, at a
large soccer field on the edge of Oranjestad. Between its
eastern terminus and Driemasterstraat, the corridor runs
along the existing storm channel. The channel will be
deepened to handle greater volumes of water, while also
being greened with grasses and plants which can preserve
the soil, while slowing down the stormwater and filtering
out some pollutants. During the rainy season the corridor
will act as a vernal pool, while during other times of the
year it will be mostly dry.
The recreation trail will run alongside the channel
for most of the channel’s length. In places where the
corridor is too narrow to accommodate a trail and
channel, the trail will become a lofted boardwalk that 250m
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allows people to more intimately experience nature. At
Driemasterstraat the water that hasn’t been retained
and absorbed along the way will enter the storm sewer
and run out to sea.
West of Driemasterstraat, the corridor will become a
series of bioswales that helps channel water away from
streets and property to retention sites and sewers. The
corridor will begin along vacant land between houses.
Alongside the swale and trail will be space for community
gardens, irrigated by rainwater. For some of its length,
the swale will run alongside the street, with one sidewalk
widened to a trail width.
The green necklace will connect to multiple retention
sites. Alongside the corridor vacant land can be
repurposed as community gardens or landscaped rain
gardens that hold stormwater. The sinkholes will also be
integrated into the corridor to enhance their rainwater
capture potential. West of Belgiestraat, between Bushiri
and Madiki, there are low lying vacant areas that can act
as major retention sites. Underground cisterns could also
hold water that would later be used for irrigation.
Biofiltration
Roadside
Raingarden
Channelside
Boardwalk
Stormwater Channel
Roadside Bioswale
RaingardenBioswaleCommunity Garden
Trail Typologies
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B
A
The green necklace provides opportunities for new
public spaces. Madiki Square is an example of how new
gathering points can be plugged into the corridor. The
square would include a basketball court, chess tables,
and a new playground for Madiki. The planted swale
running through the square would retain water and
create a place where people can rest and relax
The green necklace will be the center of a larger
neighborhood wide water strategy. Connecting north
to south along Driemasterstraat will be a continual
bioswale. The swale will channel water toward the sea
and help reduce the strain on the Driemasterstraat
sewer. The Driemasterstraat green street will link the
Xavier University stormwater system to the larger
sewer system and the green necklace. Throughout the
neighborhood, streetscape improvements will include
water retaining planters and swales to further reduce the
amount of water draining into sewers.
4.4m
15m
Plan View of Proposed Madiki Square
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6m3m2m1.5m15.5m10m9.5m10m2.0m7.0m4.4m
Section A
Section B
Madiki Square Perspective rendering of the new Madiki Square
Trail SystemTypical view of the lofted boardwalk
1.5m9.5m12.5m4m2m10m2m
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STREETSCAPE + WOONERF INITIATIVES
A street is not simply a means for automobile travel
but is a defining aspect of a neighborhood that should
support multiple modes of travel, contribute to the
character of the place, and efficiently move people
though and within it. The plans below approach the
street on two levels: 1. as an integrated network within
Playa Pa’ Bao; and, 2. on a site level that includes the
complete detailing of the urban design changes needed
to create a woonerf system in Rancho.
The focus of the plans and street sections are to
suggest changes to the existing street that capitalize on
opportunities and address major challenges, on both a
regional and street level. Specifically, these proposals
address future infrastructure investments and how these
investments can change the structure and use of the
streets.
On a regional level, the proposal provides plans and
sections for a defined hierarchy of streets. The purpose
is to create a more structured system of streets that
efficiently moves traffic, provides access to mass transit,
alleviates flooding issues, and creates a defined network
of use. The first major proposal is for a tram to run north
on Weststraat, southwest along Belige Straat, and back
to the existing bus station. The second major proposal is
for a green street along Dreimasterstraat to assist with
water management issues. The third proposal is for a
more defined network of streets that streamlines traffic
movement.
A woonerf is a type of street design that originated in
the Netherlands. Generally, woonerfs combine multiple
modes of transportation and public spaces, promote
walking and biking, introduce uncertainty for drivers as a
way to decrease auto speeds, and encourage community
activity on the street. Simply put, a woonerf is a shared
street.
The Rancho woonerf plan provides a detailed proposal for
how the street can be redesigned. The goal of this type
of street is to encourage pedestrian movement, better
structure the system of parking, and provide outdoor
community spaces on the street. The reason Rancho was
selected as the site for the first phase of infrastructure
investments is because it is very close to downtown,
abuts a new proposed community center, has a number
of streets in disrepair, and was the site of Renobacion
Urbano 1.
Typical Neighborhood Street - After
Typical Neighborhood Street - Before
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Local Streets
Belgie Straat
Driemasterstraat
Collector Streets
Green Street
Local
Ped. Path
Trolley
Arterial
Collector
Site PlanWoonerf
Street Hierarchy and Typologies
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Woonerfs
Pedestrian Paths
Weststraat
Rancho is the starting point for reimagining what the
street can be. It begins to allow people to come outside
of their homes and use the street as a public space. Some
of the important aspects of the woonerf system will be
access to pocket parks with benches, outdoor BBQ’s, or
other amenities for residents to use.
Overall, the two distinct plans are part of a project
that focuses on creating comfortable streets that
support pedestrian life. Any project must address the
rhythm of the place both day and night. Key aspects of
street design include lighting schemes, tree planning
and natural shading, parking, outdoor seating, and
modal choices. The goal of all these improvements is to
increase the livability of the street and provide improved
connectivity through and between neighborhoods and
downtown. The timetable for this development will be
determined as funding becomes available. The focus
should initially be on Rancho but further investments
should be made on a case by case basis or together with
larger infrastructure investments such as the tram.
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Street Lights
Woonerf - Variable Paving
PlantersTrolley
20m
Streets as Public Spaces
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NEW NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER INITIATIVES
THE CENTER FOR SEA AND COMMUNITY - The Center for
Sea and Community is a neighborhood based economic
development project that is sensitive to the history and
traditions of Playa Pa’ Bao. This project re-establishes a
historic connection to the sea and has the potential to
create a high-value product with benefits for community
residents. A Queen Conch farm pays for itself through the
potential generation of 2.5 million in revenue annually,
creates jobs, and funds a community center.
On the island of Aruba, where land is at a premium and
the environment is best suited for growing cactus, there
are few opportunities to provide a local supply of food
that is both cost effective and can generate revenue.
Mariculture is an alternative to ocean fishing that uses
available seawater rather than fresh water (which in
Aruba requires an energy intensive desalination process),
and judiciously preserves land.
While several different species can be farmed in a
maricultural operation, the Queen Conch is most
suitable. It has long been part of traditional cuisine on
the island and is locally available. As an endangered
species, it is important to international research.
Moreover, due to declining numbers, it is an increasingly
valuable commodity around the world.
Community Center Public AmenitiesThe new proposed community center acts as an engine of local economic development while providing a recreational space for neighbors and visitors
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Westraat
Driem
asterstraat
Brazilie Straat
Professor Lorentz Straat
10m
Playa Pa’Bao Community Center
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Using data from the world’s only conch farm on the Turks
and Caicos Islands, estimates for the specific project
site (that contains 26 pools) project that it generates:
$900,000 annually through the sale of the meat,
$600,000 for the sale of shells, and close to a million
dollars from tourism. Each one of these activities creates
local jobs, a new identity for the area, and ultimately
pays for the creation of community services for the
neighborhood. By placing the conch farm and community
center in close proximity, there is a cumulative benefit,
as the area becomes a nexus of innovation that is active
and engaging at all times.
The Queen Conch farm provides the financing for
community services on the site, including a community
center and pool. The community center includes
classrooms for ongoing education about the conch
and flexible spaces for everything from art shows to
performances.
The pool and supporting concessions provide a pleasant
place for swimming and other aquatic exercise at any
time of day. It is an activity that easily accommodates
the recreational needs of everyone from youth to elderly
residents, physically connecting them to the water.
The farm not only provides an economic asset but also
a physical one. Walkways and fountains that aerate
the seawater double as pleasant places for residents to
gather and observe the growth of the conch. These areas
serve as meeting points.
Vocational TrainingCommunity Building
International Research
Community Center Economic BenefitsThe Community Center provides economic benefits directly to residents of the surrounding neighborhood, improving the local economy through job training, research, and tourism
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Next to the conch farm, plans call for a restaurant that
serves traditional and innovative conch dishes such as
conch shooters. Residents and tourists can come taste
the fruits of local labors and celebrate the area and the
contemporary Aruban connection to the sea.
The economic and social benefits of the project extend
well beyond the borders of the site. The project
site was chosen for its location at the intersection
of several neighborhoods, and is located just off the
main neighborhood economic corridor of Westraat.
Jobs from the conch farm increase the profitability of
existing restaurants and support new businesses that
cater to workers, residents, and tourists alike, adding
to the strength of the neighborhood. The pool and the
community center, meanwhile, will bring residents
together and help foster positive interactions between
neighbors. Moreover, the Center for Sea and Community
increases resources in a renewable way while building
on the pride of the residents of Playa Pa’ Bao to help
move the area away from drugs towards a new social and
economic future.
Phase 1 Development
A Sustainable Community CenterThe Queen Conch Farm will provide a place for children to learn about marine ecosystems and sustainability
Phase 2 Development
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY PARK EXPANSION - Xavier University
is currently a single building surrounded by vacant
residential lots, including a large vacant parcel that is
predisposed to flooding during the rainy season. The
Xavier University proposal includes the expansion of
academic facilities on the vacant residential lots as well
as a central park easily accessible to nearby residents.
The park would not only establish the University as an
exciting new anchor for Oranjestad, but would also
create much-needed public spaces and help manage the
city’s stormwater.
The site for the proposed park currently has severe
flooding issues, and is not ideal for traditional
development. As such, we propose a slightly sunken
park, approximately 100 meters wide, 50 meters long,
and a maximum depth of 2.5 meters. The park plays
on the idea of the site as a natural detention area for
stormwater while creating unique opportunities for
visitors to explore various contours, sightlines, and
elevations. The park will be accessible from the west by
Weststraat and from the east by Emma Straat. Each side
will have a series of stairs with shade awnings, creating
a passive recreational area that leads users into and
across the park. “Sitting” and “walking” steps allow
for ease of access and a diversity of uses. In addition,
a shaded bridge allows visitors to walk across the park,
maintaining the north-south axis of the campus.
Site ConditionsThe current site is largely vacant, and suffers from excessive flooding and waste dumping
Stormwater / Greywater CycleIntegrated within the public space of the site is a comprehensive system for treating excess stormwater and reusing greywater
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A
A’
50m
Xavier University Park Site Plan
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The park will incorporate strategically planted native
vegetation, including indigenous and adapted succulents,
cacti, and shrubs. Such diverse plantings would increase
the area’s biodiversity, attracting migratory birds and
various fauna. The proposed park also features large
boulders to climb and play on. A pebbled path leads
visitors across the park, inviting them to explore the
natural environment. The space not only becomes a
meaningful gathering area, but also creates opportunities
for ecological education, promoting increased
environmental stewardship and local pride.
The proposed expanded campus is connected to
the larger vision of a more connected Playa Pa’Bao.
The University project is adjacent to the proposed
Weststraat tramline, and would work in conjunction
with the broader hydrological plan for the Playa
Pa’Bao neighborhoods. Underneath the sunken park,
we propose a large cistern that filters, collects, and
stores stormwater runoff from the campus as well
as from surrounding residential units. The cistern
absorbs water from the sunken park, and also collects
water from gravity-fed underground culverts from
Graywater Irrigation Lines
Primary Channels to Cisterns
Secondary CulvertsNeighborhood Filtration/Detention Tanks
Xavier University Integrated Drainage System
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Overflow drain to ground
Top Soil
Permeable Pavement
Loose Aggregate
Geogrid
Geotextile Filter Fabric
Geomembrane Liner
Pre-treatment Filtration
Rainstore Modular Units
Geogrid
Outlet Pipe
Pump
Underground Cistern Components Detail
Section A 10m
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adjacent buildings. Additionally, each residential block
is equipped with a filtration and storage device that
collects stormwater/greywater from each unit. The
device then feeds into the cistern, which can store up
to 1,200 cubic meters of water. This water can then
be used for irrigation purposes, or even pumped back
and reused in individual homes. Any overflow from the
cistern would resupply the water-table. As a result of
the high capacity of the cistern, the garden above would
never fill with standing water. The neighborhood-wide
water management system would greatly reduce flooding
conditions in the area, limit stormwater runoff into the
ocean, and provide a sustainable greywater source for
Oranjestad’s residents.
In addition to the ecological and recreational benefits
of the park and cistern, the proposed campus includes
not only academic resources and classrooms, but also
features a small retail hub, a community center, and
additional housing. The proposal for the expansion
of Xavier University would create a much-needed
community anchor, promoting enhanced social,
economic, and educational opportunities for residents
and visitors alike.
Plaza Perspective
Bird’s Eye View of Park
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Perspective Rendering of Xavier University Park
CONCLUSIONS + RECOMMENDATIONS6MOVING FORWARD ON THE VISIONS
ACHIEVING THE VISIONS - 9 STRATEGIES
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
STUDIO FACULTY + PARTICIPANTS
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MOVING FORWARD ON THE VISIONS
Imagine Oranjestad in the future: a city on the sea
that celebrates itself with festivals and activities in its
new waterfront park; a place with a downtown that has
rebuilt itself to become the primary tourist attraction on
a heavily visited island; a downtown that has conquered
the issues of heat and humidity to provide shaded
sidewalks where pedestrians stroll and visitors window
shop for local craft products; a marina where you can
grab a bite off the boardwalk and have a drink while the
sun sets over the water; a place where you can board
a tram and take a tour of the city’s shopping areas,
neighborhoods and parks. All of this is very alluring, but
also very achievable. To get to this position will require
concerted planning and action that focuses consciously
on implementing the visions, design principles, and
proposals detailed in this report.
This Urban Design Vision Plan for Oranjestad has focused
on the specific challenges and development opportunities
of Oranjestad’s central area districts: the downtown,
the waterfront, and adjacent neighborhoods. Visiting
the city and meeting with local stakeholders allowed
the UPenn design team to identify a series of visions
and design principles that helped to focus subsequent
project design efforts. What you have seen in this report
are a series of visions that can help to lead the future
direction of the capital city – provide it with an improved
public realm, improve its economic performance, and
create new opportunities for waterfront and downtown
development. These vision statements must be owned
and nurtured by Aruban officials and members of
the public if they are to have any power in providing
direction. These visions are:
1 - Oranjestad will be a memorable Aruban destination
for visitors to the island and local residents who value its
contribution to Aruban identity;
2 - Oranjestad will be an accessible and well-connected
city that helps visitors and residents navigate the city
with ease;
3 - Oranjestad will have a more vibrant and diversified
local economy that benefits visitors seeking the flavor of
Aruba and residents fulfilling everyday needs;
4 - Oranjestad will be a more environmentally
sustainable city – a place that can become an example
of green leadership for the larger Caribbean community.
Island ecology can be very difficult to sustain for a
growing population and urban development base; and,
5 - Oranjestad will be home to strong and livable
communities that provide a better quality of life for its
residents.
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This Urban Design Vision for Oranjestad provides a
series of citywide and area structure plans that provide
diagrammatic organization of key infrastructure
interventions and project development suggestions.
Most of the designs are illustrative in nature and suggest
a set of ideas about how to approach developing the
city or specific project sites. Most of the proposals are
not mutually exclusive and can be mixed and matched
depending on the political and financial will of the
Government for accomplishment. At other times,
alternatives and options show how you can achieve the
vision through different methods, e.g., the alternatives
for cruise ship docking, or the downtown streetscape
hierarchy. What is clear throughout this report is that
discussion is needed to prioritize these proposals and
plan their implementation of these visions.
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ACHIEVING THE VISIONS 9 STRATEGIESTo achieve the visions detailed in this plan a set of
strategies is recommended as a means of advancing an
implementation process. The most crucial and path-
dependent strategies are listed first, followed by more
discrete and independent strategies that can happen
concurrent with other efforts. While it would be rather
simplistic to merely provide recommendations about the
design proposals themselves, e.g., build this or design
that, these strategies pose challenges and questions
for the Government of Aruba in moving forward on any
comprehensive city development agenda.
1. DECIDE THE ROLE AND CHARACTER OF THE DOWNTOWN BRANDAs outlined in the first section of this document,
Oranjestad faces a number of challenges both physical
and economic. Beyond solving some of the direct
physical problems, a more crucial issue for the city’s
future is determining what its role will be and how its
brand will be shaped. All successful cities are known
by their identity markers. What is the identity of
Oranjestad? And how can we shape its brand through
well-considered policies and planning action. This first
strategy will require that government and community
leaders come to the table to decide on the city’s role
in the future of the island, establish a brand for the
city, and determine goals that move beyond the general
vision. For example, Oranjestad might become the
island’s center for nightlife and dining. Or conversely, it
might become known as a place of culture and the arts.
Acknowledging that it can’t do everything, Government
might select 2-4 identity goals for the city to help build
this brand.
2. CREATE THE INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY FOR LOCAL PLANNINGCurrently, no localized city planning institutions or
functions exist within the City of Oranjestad. By far this
is the most significant shortcoming in moving forward
with the implementation of a comprehensive vision
plan for the city. Most physical planning and decision-
making functions for day to day operation of the city
reside within the Ministries of the national government
bureaucracy. While experienced planning professionals
are in place, they are spread thin in their task work and
nobody has the mantle of caring and guiding the city of
Oranjestad specifically. This should be changed. Too
many loose ends are left unattended in managing the
city; too little coordination between stakeholders is
occurring; ongoing maintenance and care for the city
is marginal at best; concern for citywide systems and
infrastructure planning is under-developed; not enough
institutional memory is retained to plan conscientiously
and holistically. As a parliamentary system of
government, the establishment of a stable civil service
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system beyond the fluctuations of politics can help local
places create greater continuity of function without
disruption, even during times of political change. The
Government should establish a local planning office in
each of the primary cities of the island and staff it with
at least a person serving in the role of a City Manager. A
small staff of junior planners can assist this City Manager
in the short term until some key documents, plans and
implementation processes have been established to
get Oranjestad moving in the direction of achieving its
visions. We are not talking about a planning function for
the city as a watchdog or regulation enforcement agency,
but rather a coordinating office for the various efforts
and development projects the city needs to undertake.
3. CREATE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES & DECLARE A SPECIAL HISTORIC DISTRICTIn addition to the need for a local planning agency, the
downtown would benefit greatly from a set of guidelines
that could help in directing future development
decisions. A number of efforts are currently underway to
improve the public realm. Without the tools in place to
guide the private realm accordingly, investments in the
public realm may be wasted. Guidelines for downtown
development could include: street design standards,
façade improvement recommendations, signage and
awning controls, building envelope recommendations for
vacant properties, and a public realm materials palette.
These guidelines should be at the heart of any downtown
redevelopment strategy. They could also be part of the
regulatory package associated with the establishment
of a special Downtown Historic District. The Aruba
Monuments Bureau has done a fine job in declaring
monuments and aiding in the preservation of several
historic properties in the downtown area. Expanding
their physical area of coverage and responsibilities to
a larger demarcated downtown district could help in
the coordination and planning of this area. The District
should encompass the full downtown area from Rancho
and Emanstraat to the waterfront and lagoon area.
As a special district, the agency could impose design
guidelines on properties within the area, helping to
coordinate the overall materiality and identity of the
downtown district. A special downtown Historic District
designation would help in coordinating the many design
and planning initiatives underway and avoid some of
the neglect that other areas are experiencing in the
downtown.
4. WORK DIRECTLY WITH PARTNERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERSWhile the importance of community participation has
proven itself valuable in the two Renobacion Urban
conferences sponsored by Government and the APA,
these efforts must be maintained. Keeping clean
and open lines of communication between the larger
community and Oranjestad’s ongoing planning efforts is
crucial in building a sense of downtown responsibility and
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ownership for all. It can also help build support for future
improvement projects. Participation should be perceived
as an opportunity to expand the core of those taking
responsibility for the city. More importantly Government
should be partnering closely with two agencies in
particular to help in redeveloping both the physical and
economic structure of the downtown: the Aruba Port
Authority and the Downtown Merchants Association.
Both of these groups will serve valuable roles in the
redevelopment of a future Oranjestad. Government
should be direct in helping to guide the redevelopment
of the container shipping lands with a series of
recommendations and design guidelines with respect to
desired outcomes. Rather than waiting for the perfect
development proposal to land on their desk for approval,
Government should work with the Port Authority to
develop a scheme from which the Port Authority can then
move forward. In a similar manner, Government should
help to maintain and organize the Merchants Association,
particularly in the formation of a Business Improvement
District (BID) that can be responsible for area wide
maintenance, programming, café functions, and plaza
activities. The BID can be a crucial partner in helping to
operate an improved and redesigned downtown.
5. COMMUNICATE THE VISION REGULARLY TO CREATE AN AIR OF OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITYTo be owned by the community and public officials, the
visions suggested in this (or any future vision plan) should
be communicated and reiterated on a regular basis. This
might happen in a variety of forums and over the course
of time. It will help in creating ongoing partnerships
and stakeholders who take these visions seriously, and
may hold elected officials to the implementation of
the visions. Reinforcing the visions through all that
Government does, without contradiction, is important
in building consensus over future directions. A clear
presentation of the visions will help to inspire those
building the city, and add new participants to an ever-
increasing platform of support.
6. SEQUENCE THE ESSENTIAL CATALYSTS AND PLANNING NEEDED FOR SUSTAINABLE CHANGE Many of the proposals included herein depend on other
actions prior to their construction. If not phased and
sequenced properly, subsequent investments may be
used inefficiently. To avoid infrastructure disruption
or replacement, these path dependent actions are the
crucial first moves in preparing for larger development
initiatives later. These catalytic moves will require
extensive coordination with other systems, and may
require significant investments of time and manpower.
Planning for these large-scale interventions will require
extensive study of phasing, sequencing, and coordination
with other projects, properties, and stakeholders. Each
of them is also an important planning task in the larger
remaking of the downtown area, including the waterfront
and neighborhood areas. Most of them require highly
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technical engineering, quantitative study, and advanced
planning. These catalytic plans and infrastructure
systems are key steps in the efficient and long-term
sustainability of central Oranjestad. These 4 planning
and infrastructure efforts are not to be taken lightly.
They are necessary foundations for most other project
and redevelopment efforts, including current projects
for Main Street, Parliament expansion, and plaza
redevelopment.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN: No other system in
Oranjestad is in need of greater attention and serves a
greater catalytic role than the stormwater infrastructure
system. As stated time and again, areas throughout the
city are subject to periodic flooding from rain events.
Coordinating a system of subterranean stormwater mains
and local reticulation of stormwater inlets will help to
lay the foundation for other systemic planning tasks,
including: circulation, public realm improvements, and
parking. In addition to traditional piping, newer green
infrastructure techniques should also be considered,
especially for an island that desalinates the bulk of its
potable water. Green infrastructure techniques and
water collection can be used for both drinking water
and as irrigation for the public realm. A stormwater
management plan for the full city is the next step in
planning for Oranjestad.
CIRCULATION AND TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: A second planning effort will entail examination
of the circulation network and transportation system
design and management of central Oranjestad. As the
character of the downtown is slowed to encourage tourist
and visitor comfort, traffic will need to be calmed and
made more pedestrian friendly. Traffic signalization
is assumed as one of the key major changes along the
length of L.G. Smith Boulevard. With the construction
of the new bypass road around the city, opportunities
for reduced traffic loads can begin to influence current
circulation management, which means that the nature
of major urban arterials might change their function.
Planning for slower traffic, pedestrian comfort and
access, clarified parking, and rationalized one-way
couplets through the downtown is crucial for encouraging
the rebirth of the downtown retail core. We would
expect that any circulation plan would provide guidance
on improved pedestrian crossings, traffic calming,
single surface right-of-ways, improved lighting, and
other streetscape amenities. In addition to basic street
functions, however, attention to multi-modal access is
also crucial to the vision of this plan. Accommodating
cycling, pedestrians, and other forms of transit will
change the nature of street life. Expanding the tram
system from Main Street and Cruise Ship Terminal will
also help to provide greater benefit to the city. All of
these varied efforts require coordination and will require
a full circulation and transportation study.
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DOWNTOWN PARKING PLAN: A third catalytic system, which
requires attention for central Oranjestad’s success, is a
coordinated downtown parking plan. It is unlikely that the
downtown will see much investment without consideration
of improved parking. Visitors and residents alike require
convenient parking to access shops and services in all areas
of downtown. Shop patrons are unlikely to walk significant
distances in Aruba’s hot climate without parking and a
climate-calmed street network. While we encourage a shift
to other more sustainable modes of transport, the pragmatic
need to supply parking within close proximity to shops is
essential. A coordinated parking strategy is required to
study quantitative parking need, new structured and surface
parking lot locations, and a linked system of parking access
roads. This parking plan will also need to look at parking
access and wayfinding from key city arterials.
PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENT PLAN: Although efforts are
currently underway to improve the public realm associated
with Main Street and several key urban plazas, the rest of
the downtown street and open space network now needs
attention. A public realm improvement plan for the long-
term development of streets, plazas and parks in the central
area needs to be developed to guide coordinated design and
material selection for the incremental upgrading of the public
realm over time. The typological design proposals within this
document is a good first step in discussing the public realm.
However, applying this hierarchy as a set of street design
guidelines, prioritizing first projects, and implementing them
will require a coordinated design and implementation
plan. The public realm of Oranjestad could also use an
improved wayfinding system to channel visitors from the
Cruise Ship Terminal to downtown, and to guide drivers
entering the city. Public realm investments in key
plazas, wayfinding routes, streetscapes, and destinations
will be most effective if coordinated and joined together
into a larger system of accessible urban places.
7. DETERMINE THE DESIRED EXTENT OF THE TRAM SYSTEMThe introduction of a tram system on Main Street
between the Cruise Ship Terminal and Plaza Commercio
is a great first step in improving the accessibility and
economic success of the downtown area. To continue
expanding this system to other areas adjacent to central
Oranjestad is a next step. Within this document,
suggestions have been made to extend the tram to the
northwest neighborhoods and to the new waterfront
development along L.G. Smith Boulevard. Connecting
the rail-based tram system to the new and existing
neighborhoods will help bring people to downtown
shopping with no added pressure on parking. This will
help to further integrate these areas into the larger
success of the downtown area. However, this will
require study, financial analysis, funding, and design
investigation. Implementing an expanded tram system is
a big decision on the part of Government and will require
a good deal of social and economic capital to get off the
ground.
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8. PRIORITIZE AND IMPLEMENT DISCRETE PROJECT PROPOSALSEven before key infrastructure systems are planned and
implemented, several of the design proposals within
this vision plan could be constructed, since they have
marginal dependency on these larger systems. These
projects can add immense public realm value to central
Oranjestad and be constructed in a piece-by-piece
manner as budgets and planning capacity becomes
available. They can become an incremental means
of improving the city that occurs on a regular basis,
allowing steady movement toward the end vision.
Some of the projects that might be included herein
are: neighborhood initiatives like community centers,
university expansions, plazas, parks and housing infill;
downtown plaza, park, and preservation efforts. A list
of all such projects should be compiled, prioritized
and scheduled for implementation across a phased
calendar. The range of implemented ideas and projects
should match temporal contexts for internal project
management, community need, and ongoing problem-
solving and funding options.
9. START WHERE IT’S EASIESTWhile nothing is truly easy in city-making – given
the number of agencies and stakeholders involved in
implementation, comment and critique – several smaller
and more modest projects could be started quickly.
To create support for later large scale developments,
such as the waterfront park or the realignment of L.G.
Smith Boulevard, government leaders and the larger
community should try to ascertain a list of quick and
simple implementable projects – even those that might
be part and parcel of other larger projects. An example
of this might be the renovation of vacant buildings next
to the lagoon and their conversion to cafes. Another easy
policy change would be the extension of shopping hours
in the downtown shopping district. Another might be
the construction of the Parliament plaza at the marina.
These projects could be very visible and let people see
the vision for Oranjestad taking shape. These might be
framed as pilot projects to test designs, garner public
support, and provide a list of accomplishments for
government. Projects such as public art, tree planting,
pavement improvement, cross-walks, park enhancement,
playground construction and façade improvement
programs can create visible and immediate benefits
within a short period of time. Let people see the vision
plan coming to fruition.
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The University of Pennsylvania is one of the oldest
universities in the United States, founded in 1740 and
located in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In
keeping with the innovative example of the University’s
founder Benjamin Franklin, it is a place where teaching
embraces both theory and practice. The educational
experience at Penn is both intellectual and utilitarian;
education that explores not only why, but how. Penn’s
School of Design is dedicated to improving the quality
of life through the design and preservation of artworks,
buildings, landscapes, cities, and regions. The School’s
distinctive contributions to this effort lie at the
intersection of the disciplines of architecture, landscape
architecture, fine arts, city and regional planning, and
historic preservation. The design arts are the common
intellectual core of the School, but PennDesign’s work
is equally rooted in knowledge from technologists,
historians, and social scientists. The School creates an
environment in which students are challenged to consider
the wider implications of their work. Professional
master’s degrees are offered in architecture (M.Arch),
city planning (MCP), fine arts (MFA), historic preservation
(MSHP), urban spatial analytics (MUSA) and landscape
architecture (MLA). The Ph.D. is offered in architecture
and city planning. The University is consistently ranked in
the top ten universities in the United States.
The School’s Department of City and Regional Planning
(PennPlanning) was recently ranked as one of the top
five planning schools in the country. Within the Masters
Program, students can concentrate in Urban Design,
Community and Economic Development, Public/Private
Development, Land Use & Environmental Planning, or
Sustainable Transportation & Infrastructure Planning. The
Urban Design concentration at PennPlanning is one of
the oldest and most progressive programs in the United
States. The School is noteworthy for the history of its
distinguished faculty and graduates, including: Lewis
Mumford, Ian McHarg, Louis Kahn, Herbert Gans, Robert
Venturi, Allan Jacobs, Edmund Bacon and Jonathan
Barnett. Education at PennDesign is directed under the
leadership of Dean Marilyn Taylor.
PennDesign at the University of Pennsylvania
210 South 34th Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6311 USA
(215) 898-3425
www.design.upenn.edu
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PENNDESIGN
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STUDENTS
Rachel Ahern Landscape Architecture
Adam Amrhein City and Regional Planning
Chris Bleakley Landscape Architecture
Ariane Burwell City and Regional Planning
Raman Gardner City and Regional Planning
Keyleigh Kern Landscape Architecture / City and
Regional Planning
Emily Leckvarcik City and Regional Planning
Jae Kyung Lee City and Regional Planning
Yumi Lifer City and Regional Planning
Anjuli Maniam City and Regional Planning
Jillian Nameth City and Regional Planning
Marie Park City and Regional Planning
Michael Parkinson City and Regional Planning
Allen Penniman City and Regional Planning
Anthony Riederer City and Regional Planning
Alexandra Sweet City and Regional Planning
John Tatum City and Regional Planning
Adam Tecza City and Regional Planning
Karen Thompson City and Regional Planning
Matthew Vanoosten City and Regional Planning
Andrew Zalewski City and Regional Planning
INSTRUCTORS
Prof. Michael Larice Associate Professor of Urban Design and
City Planning
Prof. Gary Hack Professor of Urban Design and City
Planning
ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS
Jonathan Kol Fogelson Urban Designer - Michael Singer Studio
Ben Bryant Planning Analyst – Group Melvin Design
TEACHING ASSISTANT
Anthony Riederer City and Regional Planning
STUDIO FACULTY + PARTICIPANTS
Department of City & Regional Planning