Chapman Taylor’s design for the Jamaica Lot, Cali, Columbia
Northeast of the city of Cali in Columbia and on the east bank of the Cauca river, is the Jamaica Lot. Our masterplan for this new mixed-use development will strike a note of harmony and balance between the city and nature.
Set on the road that connects Cali with Palmira and with the airport, our mixed-use residential, retail and leisure development will set the tone for the approaching city. We will place the tallest and most unique buildings near the roadside, acting as the “boarding gate” to the development and onwards to the city of Cali.
The plot sits close to the 6th district, which is a fairly deprived neighbourhood. With our intervention, we would help to consolidate and revalue the entire north west area of the city. The 6th district is on the other side of the river and we will turn its riverbank into an asset; a green corridor of the city. We will infuse the whole development with green spaces, urban orchards and recreation areas.
The plot consists of two main axes, joined in a central area where the public buildings and main recreation facilities will be built. The north-south axis is the main route and is composed of a road for electric cars, a large, wooded boulevard, green areas, and a strip of urban garden that runs through its entirety.
The east-west axis is a large green corridor that visually links the city and the river with the farmland located to the east. It is the ideal area to house small commercial premises and workshops as well as regular markets. The entire plot can be traversed by pedestrian paths in both directions.
Houses vary between seven and eight floors with the maximum building height reaching thirty-five floors. The skyscrapers will be located along the main boulevard and in the northern area of the plot where the majority of offices and the university campus are situated.
Solar panels are located on the roofs and wind turbines in the towers. To the south of the development is a water purification plant that will return clean water to the original riverbed and provide clean water to the natural pools. These natural pools contain beaches where it is proposed to build bungalows, hotels and restaurants, as well as water-based recreational activities.
