Urban Design Visions for Aruba: Oranjestad

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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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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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URBAN DESIGN VISION PLANS FOR ARUBA - ORANJESTAD

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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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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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


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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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


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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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


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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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


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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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


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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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


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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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


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.

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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


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



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


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



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


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



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


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



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


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



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


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



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


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



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


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

35



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


VISION AND DESIGN PRINCIPLES

CITYWIDE STRUCTURE PLAN + FRAMEWORK

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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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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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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.

41



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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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

43



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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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

45



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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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

47



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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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

49



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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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.

51



250m

Proposed Projects

Proposed Streetscape Improvements

Green Street

Tram Line

Oranjestad Citywide Structure Plan

52

CHAPTER 2


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

53



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.


CURRENT SITE, KEY ISSUES + CONSTRAINTS

WATERFRONT STRUCTURE PLAN STRATEGY

CRUISESHIP TERMINAL INITIATIVES

L.G. SMITH BOULEVARD DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

WATERFRONT PARK

RESEARCH PARK + CULTURAL CENTER

3

CHAPTER 3


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.

57



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

CHAPTER 3


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

59



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

CHAPTER 3


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

63



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

CHAPTER 3


50m

Cruise Ship Terminal Plan - Alternative 2

65



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

CHAPTER 3


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



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

CHAPTER 3


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

69



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

CHAPTER 3


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.

71



View From Roundabout Looking SouthThe curvature of the redesigned boulevard creates interspersed viewsheds along the right-of-way, and additionally serves to calm traffic

CHAPTER 3


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.

73



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

CHAPTER 3


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

75



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)

10m

CHAPTER 3


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

77



Park Plaza

Mangroves Walkway System

Waterfront Park RenderingsThe following renderings of the Waterfront Park show the environmental, connective and cultural highlights of the park

CHAPTER 3


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

CHAPTER 3


BA

Seawater Greenhouse Productive

Landscape

Education Center

Seawater Greenhouse

Aquarium

Natural Science Museum

Experience

Learn

Innovate

Grow

Research Park + Cultural Center

100m

81



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

CHAPTER 3


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

CHAPTER 3


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.

85



Perspective View of the Proposed Aquarium


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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CHAPTER 4



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

89



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

90

CHAPTER 4


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

91



92

CHAPTER 4


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.

93



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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CHAPTER 4


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

95



Street Typologies Downtown Plan

96

CHAPTER 4


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

97



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

98

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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

99



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

101



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

50m

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CHAPTER 4


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

103



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

10m

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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

50m

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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

10m

10m

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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

10m

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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

5

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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

113



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

125



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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CHAPTER 5


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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CHAPTER 5


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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CHAPTER 5


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

133



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

135



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

137



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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CHAPTER 5


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

147



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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CHAPTER 6


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

Documents

Urban Design Visions for Aruba: Oranjestad