Las Ballenas
Cruise Terminal
Architecture · Commercial · Concept Design · Samaná · 2020
THE PROJECT
From the sea,
into Samaná.
Las Ballenas Cruise Terminal is conceived as more than a point of arrival. The project explores how cruise infrastructure can become an extension of the city, connecting visitors with Samaná from the moment they reach the shore.
The proposal brings together the terminal, public space, commercial activity and waterfront into a continuous experience, transforming arrival into an opportunity to reconnect the town with its bay.
LOCATION
Santa Barbara de Samaná, Dominican Republic
TYPOLOGY
Commercial · Urban Strategy
SCOPE
Architecture & Masterplanning
STATUS
Concept Design
THE CONCEPT
The destination
begins at the shore.
The destination begins at the shore.
The terminal is conceived as the first encounter with Samaná — an architecture that frames the transition between sea and land rather than simply processing passengers.
Generous covered spaces, open views and a permeable relationship with the waterfront create an arrival experience shaped by light, landscape and the tropical character of the destination.
An arrival that already feels like Samaná.
Site 60,000 m²
THE MASTERPLAN
Connecting the waterfront with everyday life.
Rather than operating as an isolated piece of cruise infrastructure, the project extends beyond the terminal to establish a stronger connection between the port, the town and its public spaces.
Pedestrian routes, gathering areas and commercial activity create a sequence that draws movement inland while allowing the waterfront to remain accessible and active beyond cruise operations.
Infrastructure becomes part of the city.
ARCHITECTURE & LANDSCAPE
A waterfront designed to be inhabited.
A continuous promenade brings together shaded terraces, local commerce, dining and spaces for pause, transforming the coastline into a social destination for visitors and residents alike.
The intervention also reorganises maritime activity through dedicated areas for local and private boats, reducing dispersion along the bay while strengthening its relationship with the public realm.
Not simply a place to pass through, but a place to stay.
CIVIC IDENTITY
Architecture shaped by climate and place.
Large lightweight roofs, deep overhangs and open structures provide shade while maintaining visual connections with the sea and surrounding landscape.
Natural textures, vegetation and filtered daylight soften the scale of the infrastructure, giving the terminal a character rooted in Samaná rather than the anonymous language often associated with transport buildings.
The architecture becomes a frame for the destination itself.
A gateway defined by landscape, climate and identity
Las Ballenas transforms arrival into connection — between sea and city, visitors and community, infrastructure and place.
GALLERY
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