This urban architecture commission at the eastern edge of Old San Juan’s Capitol District addresses a series of pragmatic challenges: vehicular encroachment into pedestrian and building zones; insufficient parking; a lack of informal gathering spaces, public space, and urban furniture; weak visual links to surrounding bodies of water; unsafe connections between historic buildings; limited urban presence for a landmark structure; and inadequate vehicle and pedestrian connectivity to existing and future San Juan Bay development efforts.

Located on the east side of the Capitol District, the project establishes connections at multiple scales and directions. It creates an east-west physical link between two historic buildings, the Old School of Tropical Medicine (now housing legislative-related offices and support facilities) and the Senate’s Annex. It also creates a north-south urban connection from the Capitol District to the San Juan Bay tourist area through an inviting public space. A comprehensive parking management strategy relocates intrusive perimeter and courtyard parking at the Old School of Tropical Medicine to an adjacent vacant lot and a provisional lot as part of a district-wide parking reduction program.

The plan extends Rev. Dávila Street south to the new Old San Juan waterfront park development, Bahía Urbana, thereby reducing through-traffic in the Capitol District and increasing pedestrian movement between key areas. Restored sight lines to San Juan Bay, together with new views toward the Atlantic, strengthen wayfinding and sense of place. Pedestrian infrastructure is upgraded with generous, tree-shaded sidewalks; custom-designed urban furniture; ADA-compliant crosswalks for universal access; and appropriately scaled street and sidewalk lighting to enhance safety and nightlife, collectively transforming the area into a cohesive, accessible public realm.