| Background

The project was initiated in collaboration with China Communications Construction Company Limited during the early stages of Atelier-Sizhou establishment, and is a Chinese aid project in the province of La Libertad in southern El Salvador.

The Port of La Libertad in El Salvador has a tourist and fishing dock that was built 50 years ago. Affected by wind, waves, and earthquakes, the structure poses safety hazards and is unable to meet the demands of fishing operations and the development of the tourism industry. After the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and El Salvador in 2018, at the request of the Salvadoran side, Chinese technical personnel conducted an on-site survey and research, planning to rebuild a brand new dock 94 meters to the east of the original dock.

La Libertad is more than 30 kilometers away from San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, and is one of the most important tourist areas in the country. Here, there are not only high-quality beaches but also a famous seafood market, which is loved by local residents, tourists from all over the world, and surfing enthusiasts. The construction of the dock responds to the needs of El Salvador's "Surf City" tourism strategy, which will promote the economic and social development of the region and bring new business opportunities. Since the construction of the dock was launched, the tourism industry in the surrounding areas has also been booming, with many new shops and restaurants opening, previously old hotels have also been purchased and renovated. As a landmark building, the new dock will serve functions such as fishing, commercial sales, berthing and maintenance of fishing boats, and tourism sightseeing.

| Project Information

The maritime dock has a total area of approximately over 400 ㎡. Due to the project's location over the sea and the frequent earthquakes in the area, coupled with the large sea waves, the requirements for seismic and wind resistance are extremely high, making the engineering challenge quite significant.

The dock includes shops, surfing facilities, public restrooms, restaurants, and a multifunctional exhibition hall. In the design, we have utilized the central axis circulation route to connect all the functional spaces, while also creating a second-floor terrace for sea viewing. A steel structure louvered sunshade has been installed on top of the building, covering the entire volume of the structure, and together with the structural columns, it forms a shaded activity space under the colonnade, which is adapted to the tropical coastal climate.

In terms of building materials, considering weather resistance, we have adopted a concrete structure with a facade cladding of bamboo steel, which also aligns with the natural and warm overall atmosphere of the local coastal region.