The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — aerial view from the beach
DOMINICAL

PROJECT
THE DOMINICAL PROJECT

YEAR
2023

TYPOLOGY
MIXED-USE

AREA
343,982 M²

STATUS
SCHEMATIC DESIGN

LOCATION
DOMINICAL, PUNTARENAS
COSTA RICA

PRESS KIT REQUEST:
MEDIA@CARAZOARQUITECTURA.COM

AN 85-ACRE BEACHFRONT COMMUNITY ON COSTA RICA’S SOUTH PACIFIC COAST, WHERE HOTELS, RESIDENCES AND PUBLIC LIFE ARE WOVEN INTO THE RAINFOREST BETWEEN DOMINICAL RIDGE AND THE OCEAN.
CONCEPT
The Dominical Project is conceived as a coastal town rather than a resort: an 85-acre mixed-use development in Dominical, on Costa Rica’s South Pacific coast, where the rainforest, the creeks and the beach set the order of everything built.
 
The site stretches from the forested slopes of Dominical Ridge down to Playa Dominical, near the mouth of the Barú River. Instead of clearing the land, the master plan follows its natural structure. Creeks, waterfalls and walking trails become the green spine of the project, while buildings are distributed along the topography, stepping down the hillside, rising among the treetops and opening toward the ocean.
 
Architecture is treated as part of the landscape. Planted roofs, layered terraces, timber screens and deep overhangs blur the line between building and forest, creating shaded, ventilated spaces suited to the tropical climate. A walkable network of streets, plazas and promenades ties everything together, so that daily life happens outdoors and nature remains the protagonist.
PROGRAM
Along the beachfront, two hotels and a third hotel with branded residences anchor the project, joined by a beach club, beachfront restaurants, a plaza and event space, a public beach entrance and a continuous promenade along the shore.
 
At the heart of the community, live/work condominiums with ground-floor retail, a marketplace and rooftop shops line a pedestrian central avenue, complemented by townhouses, a microbrewery, a theater and a wellness center.
 
Higher up, on Dominical Ridge, a tree house hotel, valley view and oceanview residences, the Dominical Ridge Residence Club and the Osa Kitchen restaurant sit within the canopy, connected by pedestrian bridges and forest trails.
 
Education and community facilities, including a nature museum and discovery center, a community center and creative studio spaces, open the project to residents and visitors alike, making it part of everyday life in Dominical.
The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — Dominical Ridge live/work condominiums in the rainforest
The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — townhouses
The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — beach club
The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — Osa Kitchen in the forest canopy
The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — aerial view from the ridge toward the Pacific Ocean
The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — Dominical Ridge Residence Club
The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — live/work condominiums with rooftop retail
The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — live/work condominiums and retail
The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — entrance to beachfront hotel
The Dominical Project by Carazo Arquitectura — Dominical Ridge oceanview residence

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