Parque Las Vegas

Portoviejo, Ecuador

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Casa Vista Hermosa

Parque Las Vegas

Portoviejo, Ecuador

Firm

CAPA Studio

Type

Landscape + Planning › Public Park Masterplan

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2018

SIZE

1,000,000 +

BUDGET

Undisclosed

Las Vegas Park is located in the heart of Portoviejo, along the right bank of the river that shares its name. It was built during a pivotal period of transition following the devastating earthquake that struck the city in April 2016. Today, it stands as a symbol of Portoviejo’s renewal. Every weekend, its generous green spaces host family gatherings and celebrations, as well as a wide range of cultural events—both organized and spontaneous.

Three core principles guided the design: (i) restoring landscape quality to encourage the return of wildlife, while creating a place where people can find refuge from the intense tropical climate and reconnect with nature; (ii) providing spaces for cultural, social, recreational, and sports activities; and (iii) ensuring that human interventions adapt to nature and its natural processes.

The construction of the park required reclaiming the riverbanks, which had previously been filled in to maximize buildable land. These artificial infills were removed, making way for an expansive beach-like buffer that now protects the park from flooding. Today, bamboo and other riparian species such as frutillo and willow grow along the shore. Access to the river unfolds along a gentle ramp, crossing green terraces framed by large concrete steps that allow visitors to safely reach the water. This flood-resilient landscape performed exceptionally well during the major floods of 2018 and 2024, earning recognition from Ecuador’s National Secretariat for Risk Management as a model for climate change adaptation.

A former meander abandoned by the river was restored as a wetland, reestablishing riparian life. Shortly after its rehabilitation, a wide variety of insects, amphibians, reptiles, and birds settled in. A bird survey conducted over two consecutive years by ornithologist Liza Brunetti recorded the presence of 105 migratory and native species in 2023—an extraordinary figure for an urban environment. The wetland also functions as a retention basin, absorbing runoff from the park’s paved surfaces.

A large plaza serves as the park’s main entrance lobby from the city’s administrative and financial district. Native, broad-canopied trees were planted to shape its scale and temper the microclimate. The space can accommodate large social, cultural, and political events. Adjacent to the plaza rises an artificial hill of approximately 8,000 square meters and 10 meters in height, creating a serene setting for the open-air theater, which has a capacity of 2,500 people. From the top of the stepped seating, visitors overlook the expansive landscape: the river valley and the surrounding hills covered with ceibo forests. The slopes of the hill offer a cool retreat, inviting visitors to picnic in the shade of samán trees.