- Initiative was presented during a meeting with several organizations
The preliminary version of the plans to develop a Center where young people from Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, will receive classes in various sports disciplines, art and culture workshops along with training for educational performance – among other benefits – will be ready in approximately six weeks.
This infrastructure for the benefit of the new generations will be located in the Panama neighborhood in the heart of Santa Cruz on a property of three thousand square meters, a place that was donated by Xinia Picado, Professor at the University of Costa Rica.
The designs for the work, promoted by the Young Action Foundation (FAJ) with strategic partners such as the Sabanero Judo Association and Strategic Human Development, are by architect Michael Smith Masís, from the company Entre Nos Atelier Central.
José Aguilar, Founder of FAJ, indicated that prior to the start of construction, workshops have been held with the “objective of identifying the values, activities, spaces and needs that the future “Comprehensive Youth Development Center” will cover from the perspective of potential users.”
“The focus of these meetings was developed with participatory planning and qualitative research. We organized four roundtables, with a limited number of participants, where the direction of the project was discussed. Our proposal for the Center focuses on a sports and cultural space, like a Judo Dojo, which could also function as a gym or multipurpose hall,” explained Aguilar.
Given the intense heat that characterizes the province of Guanacaste, Smith emphasized the need to design an open building adapted to the climatic conditions.
“I think the key is to appeal to common sense. The design must consider natural ventilation and proper management of sunlight to ensure a comfortable environment,” says the Architect.
The Project design will include three axes of action:
- Integration with the Environment: Ensure that the centre blends harmoniously with the landscape and respects existing vegetation.
- Climate Comfort: Create spaces that take advantage of natural ventilation and reduce the impact of extreme heat indoors.
- Community Interaction: Design an environment that facilitates interaction between young people and the community, fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment.
The proposal indicates that it is valued that the Center can have residences, a dining room, classrooms and spaces for cultural activities with the objective of offering a comprehensive approach for the benefit of the youth of Santa Cruz and surrounding areas.
“We held a special event to present the project in order to validate and legitimize our proposal, considering the participation of the target population that will benefit from it. This initiative motivates us and strengthens our determination to move forward; it will represent a significant change in the history of the canton and even of Guanacaste,” added Aguilar.
Present at the presentation of the plan were representatives of the Municipality of Santa Cruz; the Ministry of Culture; the Administrative Vice Minister of the Ministry of Public Education, Sofía Ramírez; the National System of Conservation Areas; delegates from the Catholic Church; the Civic Center of Santa Cruz; and, in addition, the CEPIA and Tamarindo Park Foundations.
2024-08-30 14:40:45