Terrazas Lindora received the world architecture award Prix Versailles 2017 as the best shopping center in Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

The Prix Versalles is an international award given out by the United Nations for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) together with the International Union. Terrazas Lindora received the recognition back in May 12 in Paris, France. This year the event had the participation of other 36 projects which are all invited directly by the contest’s jury. Other categories include hotels, restaurants and stores. The jury includes renowned professionals in the architecture, design and gastronomy industries.

Terrazas Lindora was developed by Costa Rican firm Zürcher Architects which has a trajectory of almost 40 years and it is recognized particularly for its architectural work in the touristic and commercial area.

“The project was geared around an open central plaza, sort of a contemporary version of what used to be a city’s public plaza. This is a space of social interaction with plenty of natural light and open space, that contributes to the urban look and breaks the traditional archetype of a shopping center as a closed area disconnected from its surroundings”, explained architect Adrián Saballos from Zürcher Architects.

Initially the Terrazas Lindora project was designed under the mixed use concept, which would combine office spaces with commercial areas and residence options, however in the first stage it was not possible to include residences because of the use of land regulations in the Municipality of Santa Ana was established with separate categories, (commercial, residential, industrial and agricultural), and therefore the permits were not granted during the development of the first stage to incorporate a residential use.

Currently Terrazas Lindora is working on stages 2 and 3.