Las Catalinas, Costa Rica | |
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Master-planned community | |
Coordinates: 10°28′55″N 85°47′08″W / 10.481997°N 85.785682°WCoordinates: 10°28′55″N 85°47′08″W / 10.481997°N 85.785682°W | |
Country | Costa Rica |
Province | Guanacaste |
Canton | Santa Cruz |
Area | |
• Master-planned community | 4.86 km2 (1.88 sq mi) |
• Land | 4.86 km2 (1.875 sq mi) |
• Urban | 0.97 km2 (0.37 sq mi) |
Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
Website | www |
Las Catalinas is a 490 ha (1,200 acres) beach town on the Pacific Ocean in the Guanacaste Province of northwest Costa Rica. Envisioned as a compact, walkable beach town, Las Catalinas was founded in 2006 by Charles Brewer (businessman) and incorporates the principles of New Urbanism.
Las Catalinas is located on Playa Danta and Playa Dantita near Potrero, Costa Rica. The closest international airport is Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica.
Approximately 400 ha (990 acres) of the 490 ha (1,200 acres) acres is natural forest reserve. There are about 35 kilometers of hiking and single track mountain biking trails.
The master plan was primarily designed by Douglas Duany, currently a professor of the practice at the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture. It is a dense urbanism that focuses on an interesting pedestrian experience, maximizing views, and integrating nature. Of the 1200 acres, approximately 200 acres are planned to be built, the remaining 1000 acres is left as a natural reserve.
Many urban designers and architects have since done design work in Las Catalinas, including: