Last week I attended the CNU annual conference.  I’m glad I did  because I got to see an inspirational presentation on the new town of Cayalá, Guatemala.  The presenting team included Leon Krier, who is sort of the intellectual godfather of New Urbanism, Professor Richard Economakis of Notre Dame, whom we know from our work with the school of architecture there; and a husband and wife team of architects from Guatemala who are driving forces in the project –  Pedro Pablo Godoy (who participated in one of our Las Catalinas charrettes) and Maria Fernanda Sanchez.

The first reason the presentation was inspirational is that Cayalá looks really good!  The first phase containing shops, apartments, condominiums, and a very significant public building, is complete and is one of the best looking new town developments I have seen.

The second reason is a bit more profound.  All the presenters were great , but Maria  stole the show as she talked about how Cayalá is a new hope for her country.  Guatemala has an unfortunate history of violence.  A 36 year civil war ended in 1996.  Since then democracy has prevailed but crime and violence remain a serious problem.  Security is a major concern for all, and the many citizens live behind walls in gated communities.

Cayalá  is right adjacent to Guatemala City.  It is breaking all the rules by building a beautiful, upscale place that is open to the public.  Hearing Maria describe it was exceptionally moving: people, lots of people, getting to enjoy walking through a beautiful public plaza; spontaneous dancing on the porch of the grand public building; parents talking about how Cayalá gives them hope for their children.  Maria describes Cayalá as being like a new face of Guatemala.  Its extraordinary short history reveals a new generation of people that are capable of joining together to build a better future, an extraordinary example of what Guatemalans can do and what they could continue doing to be a great society.

Maria speculates that the violence in Guatemala is a self-fulfilling prophesy, as buildings and whole neighborhoods turn blank walls to the street, leaving it as an unloved no man’s land.  She further thinks that building in a way that honors the citizens and public places is the key to her country’s future.  So far the evidence is with here.  Cayalá’s apartments and shops leased up right away.  They have not experienced any security problems.  I can’t do her speech justice, but it sure did re-energized me.

Las Catalinas has some high ambitions too.  Costa Rica is a small country, but an important one.  It is ecologically very important, and socially it is a shining positive example in a region that very much needs one.  Prior to the beginning of Las Catalinas the precious coast of Guanacaste appeared to be headed to a future of gated-off enclaves that are inaccessible to the very citizens of the country, environmentally destructive sprawling “view lot” developments, and associated ugly strip-center commercial areas.  I hope Las Catalinas will help create a trend that will instead result in a series of beautiful, compact, walkable towns, with a pristine landscape in between.  I further hope that, as a resort town, the experience Las Catalinas will provide and will be so positive that people from all over the world will return to their homes re-energized by the joys of living in a beautiful walkable town surrounded by nature, and with a renewed sense of what is possible for own home towns.

Thank you Maria, and Cayalá.  I believe that Cayalá and Las Catalinas are both going to help create a better world.