Master Planning & Urban Design
Written by Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz, FAIA
Founder and principal of the architectural firm Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón, with offices in Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico)

Santurce offers an opportunity to bring creative urban planning conventions that serve as reference points for the rest of Puerto Rico. 

Instead of rebuilding cities from scratch, we should identify and preserve their unique qualities, integrating them into reimagined structures and spaces that honor the past, cater to the present, and plan for the future.

Multifunctional and sustainable living spaces can be designed by understanding Santurce’s past as a foundation for future development. Collaborations between government, private enterprise, and local communities can create a dynamic, interconnected living experience for generations. Santurce has the fundamental components of an urban center, including education, healthcare, arts, culture, retail, and commerce, providing the basis for a vibrant, revitalized community.

While the basic structure exists, crucial connections are missing in Santurce. The area needs technological integration, a unique public transport strategy, walkable and well-lit streets, and clean, open spaces. Look at how technology, transportation, and walkability can be the foundation for transforming Santurce into a thriving urban center.