The Master Plan

A Traditional Town on the Nicaraguan Pacific Coast

Nicaraguan towns and villages have a distinct character and quality shaped by layers of cultural influence, geography and landscape. There is a regional adaptation of architectural styles and vocabularies in Nicaragua that respond to the climate, availability of local materials and high quality craftsmanship. The plan of Gran Pacifica builds on these influences to create a new coastal village on this remarkable site which will have a uniquely regional character. The various elements of the landscape, the design of the golf course, the framework of the civic spaces and residential neighborhoods are woven together to produce a rich pattern of special addresses, expansive views, intimate, streets, and parks. The neighborhoods are designed for walking and enjoying the relaxed, natural setting along the Pacific coast. Trails and walkways serve each house connecting the neighborhoods to the golf course, with is treated as a large central park providing incredible views of the ocean and the surrounding landscape. Streets are designed as shared public gardens and are lined with houses and villas that together create a sense of neighborhood and shared amenities.

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Key Components of the Gran Pacifica House

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Gran Pacifica Houses will create the backdrop for each neighborhood. the houses will define the character of the space and reflect the individual composition of the private realm behind the porch or fornt door.

In these traditional neighborhoods, the front portion of the house is the most public and must be responsive to the character of the neighborhood and the adjacent houses. The landscaping of the front yard, the setbacks from the street, the size and placement of the house on the lot, and the front porch are all shared elements that form the public realm. The houses in Gran Pacifica are based on the vernacular architecture of Nicaragua, using regional house types with style elements applied. The house types are defined by the character and shape of the Main Body and Wings that are added to increase the internal space. The patterns described in this book apply primarily to facades facing streets and lanes.

Principal Elements

Gran Pacifica houses include the following principal elements: The Main Body of the house, which is the principal mass and includes the front door. Side or Rear Wings, which are one or two stories high and connected to the Main Body. These optional additions are smaller than the Main Body and are set back from the front facade. One story side wings should never exceed half the width of the house, and two story wings should not exceed one third of the width of the house.Wings should never be built flush to the front facade. Side wings should be setback from the front facade no less then the width of the wing. Porches create exterior living space. Possibilities include full-facade front porches, wraparound porches, porticos, and side porches. Some architectural styles also have inset porches. Outbuildings are optional structures that include carports, detached garages, storage buildings, and carriage houses.

Addresses within the Plan

The plan for Gran Pacifica features a broad range of different addresses and location throughout the village. The primary addresses include golf frontage and golf view lots along the spectacular course that winds through the site. Ocean front and ocean view addresses will capture the sense of living on the Pacific ocean. Park addresses feature prime locations facing beautiful neighborhood parks designed as features throughout each neighborhood.
Village addresses capture the intimate character of traditional Nicaraguan streets and neighborhoods set in the coastal environment. In addition to the various addresses offered within the plan, the architecture and building types will create another rich layer of character and sense of place. This layering of choices creates a diversity of character, amenity and Oceanview lots Park Address Lots location for new residents to select from.

1. OceanView Lot Specifications
Note: Inside the Lot Map, the oceanfront and ocean view lots fall under these guidelines

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2. Golf Lot Specifications

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3. Park Lot Specifications
Note: Inside the Lot Map, Park Lots fall under these guidelines.

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4. Plaza Address
Note: The following lots fall under these guidelines.

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5. Neighborhood Lot Specifications (Village Lots)
Note: Inside the Lot Map, Village Lots fall under these guidelines

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Home Styles inside Gran Pacifica (San Diego Viejo – Phase 1)

A. The Spanish Colonial Revival

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History and Character
the original spanish colonial houses of the early sixteenth century were characterized by simple massing with classically composed facades and ornate detailing. They were the direct decendants of the Renaissance era of European architecture, adapted to their new climates. This popular style has experienced several revivals throughout its history, each time picking up the eclectic characteristics and fashions of the time.

The Spanish Colonial Revival style at Gran Pacifica strives to blend the best aspects of this rich history: the ornate details, the classical porticoes and loggias, the stately geometries, and the rich color pallettes. Roofs, whether tile
or metal, are edged with elegant cornice lines and, at times, ornate balustrades. The blend of arched and square openings are further accentuated by classical door and window surrounds and the application of pilasters, engaged columns, and accent balconies. Formal entries and private courtyards are critical plan features to this housing style.

Essential Elements
1 Stucco walls with pilasters, engaged
columns.
2 Classically composed facades with
regular openings.
3 Covered patios/porches/loggias.
4 Ornate detailing around openings.
5 Balconies or balustrades at second
floor and roof line.

Massing and Composition
Massing
A One-story broad front with optional inset porch.
One-story main body with a 4 to 6 in 12 roof pitch and hip parallel to the street. There is an option for a forwardprojecting wing with a gable end and a height equal to that of the main body.

B Two-story broad-front
Rectangular volume with a 4 to 6 in 12 roof pitch and hip parallel to the street. One- and two-story additive porches are common.

C Two story L
Hipped volume with a 4 to 6 in 12 gable or hip facing the street. The width ofthe bay facing the street is either a single-bay or three-bay composition. Two story porches or second-story balconies are encouraged.

Facade Composition
In Spanish Colonial Revival houses, the straightforward character is derived from the regular and often symmetric organization of the facades. Three- and fivebay compositions are most common and can accommodate a variety of porch configurations.

B. Nicaraguan Provincial

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History and Character
Nicaraguan provincial architecture draws on the two main building traditions in Nicaragua; Spanish Colonial and the indigenous traditions of the region. These two styles merged by combining the massing and functional characteristics of coastal architecture and the more enduring building technologies of the Spanish tradition. Thatched roofs gave way to a highly texturized barrel tile which is now a dominant feature of this style. Unlike the Spanish Colonial, Provincial doors and windows are placed in response to function rather than exterior geometry. Punched openings are often adorned with decorative grills and primary entrances are emphasized with contrasting paint.

A cantilevered, wood balcony was a prominent feature on the two-story houses. On one-story houses, a continuous porch was captured under the roof extending out from the main body. The result is a simply massed adobe building with an expressive timber porch and balcony details. Given the climate in Gran Pacifica, this style is well suited because of its porches and balconies that serve to shield the sun and offer views of the ocean. The style typically provided for a porch that often surrounded or defined a private courtyard in the back of the house. The detailing on the porches are extremely simple. Rafters are often exposed, and gable or hipped roofs are used.

Essential Elements
1 Simple, straightforward volumes,
sometimes with a hipped wing facing
the street.
2 Shallow sloped roofs, either hip or
gable, with clay tiles.
3 Windows and doors in an eccentric
arrangement.
4 Projecting timber balconies or inset
porches with exposed rafters.

Massing and Composition
Massing
A One-story broad front
Rectangular volume with the broad face parallel to the street. Roofs are typically hipped with a 3 in 12 to 5 in 12 pitch. Inset porches are common in this massing

B Two-story broad front
Rectangular volume with a 3 in 12 roof pitch and gable or hip parallel to the street. Full second-story cantilevered front porch facing the street.

C Two-story basic
Rectangular volume with a 3 in 12 roof pitch and gable parallel to the street. As with the box massing, full secondstory cantilevered front porch facing the street.

D Two-story side L
L-shaped volume perpendicular to the street with second-story cantilevered side porch. Hipped and gabled roofs with a 3 in 12 pitch are both permitted. Porches extending off both sides are common.

Facade Composition
These Provincial facades are regulated by a second-story cantilevered porch with evenly spaced columns.Windows and doors are placed asymmetrically in an unbalanced composition.Windows most often occur as singles. Traditional french doors are also common. Off the porch arched openings are rare and may be used at entry doors with some seg-