The SALT CRYSTAL of St. Maarten
Some people see things as they are and ask why. Delano Richardson dreams things that never were and asks why not. The award-winning architect and former VROMI head has made numerous proposals for our island, including recently Flamboyant Park to replace the trash-scape of Pond Island. His latest vision of what could be is a transformation of Philipsburg focused around an inviting plaza dedicated to a new Parliament Building. Here in his own words are some of his musings:
“What if, walking along the main access from Captain Hodge Pier, you would see the new Government Administration Building in the distance and in the foreground newly renovated tourism offices situated in the old courthouse? As you proceed down the main access, a shimmering salt-crystal-like structure attracts you. It houses the main parliament-meeting hall and its main supporting frame wows you. The green park that covers the plaza buildings causes me to feel invited to come and relax and enjoy the area. Around the plaza, retail stores are displaying apparel, souvenirs and gadgets that you might like to buy for a family member or yourself. After doing a little window-shopping, you could take a seat and have lunch at one of the patio restaurants that surround the plaza. You are in the centre of all that is happening in Philipsburg, perhaps being entertained by some local performers on the main plaza under the canopy like structure. And as you close out the afternoon, you amble over to the national bus terminal located near the Ring Road to take a bus back home. While looking back through the bus window, you can’t help thinking that this parliament plaza is a great and essential addition to the city of Philipsburg. You look forward to another visit. Wow!”
Richardson’s theme for the development of the SXM Parliament Plaza is “Paths of Hope.” This, he says, is paying homage to the many, perhaps as many as 18, alleyways that led from the Great Salt Pond to the Great Bay shoreline. Those alleyways were the paths used to logistically move the salt out to the various ships that were waiting.
For just over three centuries, from 1624 to 1949, St. Maarten’s salt, or white gold as it was called, was one of its main industries for growth. Today, salt obviously is no longer our main industry, tourism is. But as St. Maarten is in the process of nation building, it is important for the country to make its mark within the wider Caribbean region. What can we do to make a clear statement about what is important to us as a country and a people? St. Maarten is stepping into a new level of growth when it comes to taking a stand as a regional leader in the area of knowledge sharing and building and being a platform for regional transformation and strategic development.
The intention is to develop this new SXM Parliament Plaza as a message to the people of St. Maarten and beyond that, we are determined to become a strong Caribbean nation, one with the ability to lead and facilitate structures and programs that help the people of St. Maarten and others, opening paths of hope to the world.
This plaza would encompass the land where the Post Office building is now, Clem Labega Square, and the old government administration building. The land area would be transformed into a pleasant formation of structures that work together to create a dramatic yet pleasing context for the people of St. Maarten and the seat of parliament to coexist. The project has been presented to all of the relevant parties in Parliament to seek their input and concerns, and now it is with this same gesture that this project is being presented to the people of St. Maarten.
This proposal for the new parliament building with its accompanied infrastructure would be a dynamic addition to the Philipsburg landscape. The cost for the project, including the parliament building, the under plaza parking, parameter retail spaces, commercial spaces, national bus terminal, and the grand multifunctional public plaza, comes up to around US $433 million.
In the Caribbean, there are two other structures that are of merit that are worth giving notice to that can help give a good financial perspective, the National Academy for Performing Arts (NAPA) building in Trinidad and Tobago, which cost US $500 million to build, and the Puerto Rico Convention Center, which cost US $415 million to build.
Richardson has designed and been involved with competitions worldwide, giving him not only a competitive knowledge, but also a strategic insight into the particular needs that are essential to our country. He was selected within the top 70 for the Guggenheim Helsinki Design Competition which had 1,715 participants and for the Designing Action Nashville ideas competition, which had 300 participants.
Delano Richardson can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and welcomes any insights or comments the community may have about this project.
