WILLEMSTAD - The Waterfort Plaza Masterplan is ready and is being assessed by the Ministry of Urban Planning (VVRP). This is reported by the General Pension Fund of Curaçao, APC. The master plan is an urban development with renders and atmospheric images.  

According to APC, it is not about the architecture, nor about a final design, but about the description of a development direction for the Waterfort Plaza area, in which quality of life, quality, heritage, climate, sustainability and economy are of paramount importance.  

The redevelopment of Waterfort Plaza offers the unique opportunity to make the area part of the rest of Punda and Willemstad and to create a relationship between the existing and the new, taking into account the rest of the environment.  

After the Ministry of VVRP approves the master plan, the architectural team can continue with the architecture and other design work.  

The master plan and accompanying model were also presented this week to governor Lucille George-Wout and the acting representative of the Netherlands in Willemstad, Judith Jeurissen. 

Frameworks and strategy  

The Island Development Plan has been taken into account in the development of the master plan. the UNESCO-appointed Outstanding Universal Value of Historic Willemstad, the Monument Island Ordinance for the water fort arches, the Government Program 2022-2025, and the Sustainable Development Goals.  

Due to its size, location and ambitions, the redevelopment requires a tailor-made development strategy. The location has a rich history. The starting point is to build on the existing cultural-historical values of the area. There must be an understanding of the scale of the current city, and vice versa, the users must also be able to make this new part of the city their own based on the (unconscious) knowledge of the city. 

Master plan  

From the first studies for the master plan, it became clear that the historical frameworks, namely the Waterfort, Fort Amsterdam, Plaza Piar and Plaza Cola Debrot, must be respected, preserved and where possible even reinforced.  

The direction of the new buildings does not have to follow the fort, but must leave the fort autonomous. The new buildings will have their own identity, but will seek connection and dialogue with the historic environment in terms of scale and orientation.  

This way a new chapter is added to the story, without breaking the story. Based on the foregoing, a composition of volumes has been made that connect to the existing city, in length and width, but also in terms of height.  

Towards the sea, the height slowly increases, so that it is not a blanket of a certain height, but a playful whole with one accent marking the harbor entrance.  

The master plan opted for a fine-meshed structure of connections. A fine mesh that can also be experienced in historic Punda, in which all senses play a role. You smell the sea and the food before you see it; you hear the music, the laughter and the buzz before you see it.  

The connections at the Waterfort Plaza project must also have these qualities as they appeal to our humanity and to gaining new experiences.  

The connections all have their own characteristics such as height differences, bridge connections, vistas of the sea or plazas. Due to the great diversity of functions and appearances, the connections do not compete with each other, but reinforce each other through synergy and experiential value.  

One can walk, enjoy the sea, the city and the context in which everything takes place. But one can also specifically look for certain functions or relax recreationally. A wide range of experiences that will appeal to a diverse group of visitors and users. 

Water Fort Festival  

Coinciding with Willemstad's 25th anniversary on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Waterfort Festival will take place on Saturday, December 3, 2022, organized in close collaboration with the experts of Kaya Kaya.  

With this, APC officially launches the redevelopment of the Waterfort Plaza. The overarching theme of the event is past, present and future. APC will be present in the arches at the Plaza Cola Debrot with a visual representation of the master plan.