In this Daily -- A Peaceful Morning on Playa Danta
A peaceful morning out on Playa Danta, with a healthy break but gentle waters just out past the swim platform. A pair of paddleboarders just beyond the break zone were the only people out and around, leaving the sand untouched except for a few sets of animal tracks. Most likely a pair of Hooded Skunks, based on the 5 toed prints for both front and back paws.
With Calle Danta completed it’s now very satisfying to move around all four sides of Santarena, which integrates smoothly into the Beach Town skyline. The architecture of Santarena brings an inspiring presence with its Plaza Danta and Calle Danta faces, but also blends naturally into the residential nature of Calle La Ronda.
This is no accident. According to Sara Bega, one of town's architects:
"Santarena occupies a unique spot in town in that it forms the backdrop of one of our most lively public beachfront spaces, but is also part of the first impression of Calle la Ronda, a residential pedestrian street.
Ricardo Arosemena was conscious that Santarena should weave into the fabric of town and not stand out, apart, like an obstacle. So he carefully designed the hotel and its massing so that the hotel suites on Calle la Ronda have a definite residential character, and heights match the roofs across the street.
This gives Calle la Ronda a proper, balanced, beginning. Then the more public, porous areas of the hotel face the most public streets and plazas. It's not just any architect who can do this. Ricardo is especially skilled in designing buildings that both respond to and help extend their urban context."
There is a great deal of careful thought and craftsmanship that goes into creating places that, at the end of the day, feel right.