Ponce Paradise Master Plan Received an Excellence Award from SARA National

On October 21, 2022, Ponce Paradise Master Plan has received an Excellence Award from SARA National. The award celebrates design excellence in architecture and design through an annual National Design Awards Program which attracts entries from across the country and around the world from individuals, firms, and students of architecture and allied disciplines.

Ponce Paradise represents a new paradigm in mixed-use development proposals by capitalizing on the natural beauty and restful nature of the Ponce environment. This new “Wellness Community” is comprised of essentially four elements supporting each other and all connected through a new canal carved into the site and connecting the ocean with the inland canals. The plan includes a resort lagoon surrounded by two hotels, a traditional neighborhood with a variety of vacation and single-family residences, a town center, medical university campus, and marina. The balance of the property is dedicated to newly established farming plots and a natural reserve protecting the existing wetlands.

The expansive terrain extends from the Caribbean Sea to the city center. The 821-acre site is flat and has great views of the Ocean and the neighboring natural reserve island of ‘Caja de Muertos’. It is located on a major highway and is immediately visible upon entering or leaving the city of Ponce, sitting between the port and the airport. A key design parameter has been to direct the water to enter the property, thereby rebuilding wetlands, beaches, and creating a world class canal. The wetlands on the Eastern section of the site will remain in its natural state and be placed into a protected conservation according to the Puerto Rico Conservation Easement Law. 180 acres have been set aside for a farm, orchard, and pasture will be dedicated for the harvesting of organic food and play an important element in Ponce Paradise’s wellness concept.