INBIO | IntangibleTangible

PANU Rodrigo Gámez (INBIO)

Culture | Heredia | 2025 | Area: 3.2 ha

A journey through the natural diversity of Costa Rica

Each trail of the new PANU Rodrigo Gámez (INBIO) represents one of the country’s conservation areas, inviting people to experience the richness of the territory firsthand: walking, observing, resting, sharing.

Where Learning Lives in Nature

The PANU is envisioned as an open learning space, where nature teaches in a simple and approachable way. A place where children, youth, and adults discover their surroundings through play, curiosity, and everyday encounters.

The park connects with the urban center of Santo Domingo de Heredia and its history: afternoon snacks under the trees, family walks, moments of rest in the middle of the day. It is a place designed to be inhabited, to learn, and to be enjoyed naturally, as part of the canton’s daily life.

More than a park, this PANU is an invitation to reconnect with the land, with the community, and with the simplest way of learning: by living in the landscape.

Current Condition

The current condition reveals a landscape rich in natural value yet fragmented in its spatial organization.

Existing elements such as the lake, wetland, forested areas, and scattered infrastructure coexist without a clear structure, limiting connectivity and the overall user experience.
Circulation paths appear discontinuous and intuitive only in parts, while key spaces like the amphitheater, playground, and green areas lack integration within a cohesive system.

Despite its ecological and social potential, the park currently operates as a collection of isolated zones rather than a unified and accessible environment.

Master Plan

The PANU Rodrigo Gámez Lobo master plan is conceived as an organic network of paths and spaces that integrate seamlessly with the natural landscape. Winding trails connect key areas such as the lake, wetland, educational zones, and social spaces, encouraging exploration and a constant interaction with nature.

The central lake becomes the main focal point, surrounded by spaces for rest, recreation, and community gathering.

Strategically placed entrances link the park to the urban fabric, reinforcing its role as an accessible, everyday space for Santo Domingo de Heredia.

Team

Arq. Juan Pablo Moya Alvarez

Arq. Anibal Campos Guerrero

Arq. Jose David Gonzalez Moncada

Arq. Johnny Ramirez Ramirez

Arq. Josue Montero Castro

Angeline Masis Ovando

Maria Jose Porras

Ing. Andres Zeledon Quiros
Ing. Marlon Alfaro Cordero