Studio III is designed to help students at McGill University’s School of Urban Planning to develop skills related to site planning and development. Having previously taken real world clients in the Greater Montréal region in Studios I and II (final reports available upon request), the purpose of Studio III will be to provide planning students with an opportunity to undertake site planning and development in a developing world context. As such, students will work in collaboration with local partners and stakeholders in Costa Rica. Students will also acquire practical skills that will involve presenting material in meetings and written reports in English and Spanish.

This project aims to address urban problems in the Hospital District of the City of San Jose in order to support downtown residential and commercial revitalization via the development of an international convention centre. The area to be studied is defined to the north by 12th Avenue, to the south by River Maria Aguilar, to the west by 16th Street and to the east by 11th Street. The boundaries reflect the areas surrounding the Old Train Station to the Pacific, which serves as the site of the proposed international convention centre complex.