Boca Cana A Vision for a New Waterfront City

The Challenge

A private developer aspired to create a new kind of large-scale development in the Caribbean. To do so, designers sought to balance competing land use considerations of road, infrastructure, open space, recreation and marine activities as well as residential, hotel and retail uses, in addition to renewable energy requirements.

The Design Solution

The vision for the pristine site, adjacent to deep waters and a national park, calls for new development to tread lightly on the natural environment. This intent employs solar and wind energy, native storm water management measures and vernacular construction practices. The plan extends the waterfront experience upland and frames view corridors to increase real estate value throughout nearly 7,000 acres. HKS created a new town that carefully clusters new interventions as well as balances marine, residential, retail, hospitality, institutional, cultural, agricultural and recreational uses. The development vision quantified site capacity and outlined a strategy to increase real estate value during each phase of the 30-year build out.

The Design Impact

HKS shaped a vision for the Boca Cana development through strategic, environmentally-responsible infrastructure modeling as well as the creation of distinctive identities for residential, commercial, institutional and recreational precincts. The plan established development opportunities for multiple stakeholders and investors. The Boca Cana plan was designed as a model for development in the Caribbean. The new community would increase the standard of living for residents while attracting tourism, homeowners and investment.