The dream of building a new campus began almost a decade ago. Since its opening in 2006, Santa Ana has been home to UWC Costa Rica, in a campus inherited from SOS Villages and adapted over the years to serve the UWC experience. As the College evolved, so did our ambition and our commitment to expand our impact and make UWC’s innovative educational model more accessible to all.
After a comprehensive evaluation of around 100 properties across Costa Rica, we found the ideal location in the community of San Isidro de Heredia, a place that brings together the natural beauty and the rich social, political, and cultural history of the country, offering students unique opportunities for learning and connection.
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo, along with other key donors and partners, in 2020, we acquired a total of 50 hectares of land to dedicate 80% of the property to forest regeneration and conservation. In January 2024, we began the earth movements and construction process that is turning the dream of a new campus into a reality.
Earth Movement & Infrastructure Project
This year marked an exciting chapter in the construction of our New Campus as we reached two major milestones that set the stage for the next construction phases. The earth movement phase was completed in October 2024, after months of transforming the construction site by moving more than 83,000 m³ of soil, building 1,262 linear meters of retaining walls, and preparing 1.1 km of internal roads. Building on this progress, the infrastructure phase was fully completed in June 2025, ten months after its official start. This stage included the development of essential systems such as water and electricity, as well as the foundations of future signature spaces of the New Campus, like the lake and the soccer field that our community will soon enjoy.
Beneath the surface, extensive excavation made possible a comprehensive network of underground pipelines that, although unseen, are vital to ensuring the campus operates in a sustainable, safe, and efficient way. Above ground, significant progress was made in shaping and waterproofing the lake and its natural stage. Beyond becoming the heart of our new campus, the lake also serves a crucial environmental role as part of the storm drainage system, collecting rainwater from all across the campus and gradually releasing it into the nearby creek.
Internal Roads & RESIN8™
All internal roads, parking spaces, and sidewalks are now complete across the New Campus. We had the exciting opportunity to collaborate with PEDREGAL, a Costa Rican company that promotes the circular economy through RESIN8™, a construction material made from recycled plastics that helps reduce pollution. Each RESIN8™ paver contains 48.7 grams of recycled plastic. Over 10,800 m² of pavers have already been installed across the internal roads, which represents a total of 526,106 grams of recycled plastic and prevents more than 20 tons of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere.
In addition, as part of our waste management strategy, we delivered 5.29 tons of plastic, including slope coverings, piping, and other non-recyclable materials, to the RESIN8™ processing facility. This effort ensures that a significant portion of construction waste is reused and that the construction process aligns with our vision of a sustainable campus.
Hydroseeding
Once the earth movements were complete, it became important to encourage vegetation growth and prevent erosion on the slopes of the construction site. We decided to test the hydroseeding technique, even on slopes with no direct access to water. Hydroseeding involves spraying a mixture of grass seeds, mulch, stabilizing additives, fertilizer, and water onto a prepared surface to help plants grow in challenging areas. After 62 days, the technique proved successful. Plants have sprouted, and the slopes are now visibly green, offering an exciting glimpse of how our new home will look once it is full of life.
Construction in Wood
To learn more about sustainable building practices and the use of wood as the primary construction material, in October of 2024, we visited Ingelam, a leading Chilean company in the design, manufacturing, and assembly of construction-grade laminated wood. Later, in May 2025, we signed the contract with Ingelam and placed the order for more than 3,400 m³ of Glued Laminated Timber (GLT) that will not only characterize the buildings of the New Campus, but will also capture more than 4,000 tons of CO₂.
Main Access Road
In June 2025, the expansion and construction of the main public access road to our New Campus was completed, marking a key accomplishment for both UWC Costa Rica and the San Isidro community. The work began with pipe installation and well construction for rainwater management and culminated in paving, roadside rest areas, sidewalks with tactile guiding tiles for visually impaired pedestrians, signage, road markings, and final site cleaning.
Throughout the construction process, the UWC Costa Rica team maintained close communication with neighboring residents, keeping them informed and promptly attending to all inquiries and requests. This collaborative approach ensured that the completed project on Las Caricias Road also included the construction of access ramps for several nearby homes.
Project Management Team Transition
As we prepare for the next phase of building construction, we have begun a transition from the previous project management team, CVG Construction Management, to the newly selected team, ICC Construction Project Management. This step ensures continuity and aligns with the scale and complexity of the upcoming construction phases.
As our period of collaboration with CVG Construction Management comes to a close, we want to express our sincere gratitude. CVG has supported us through key processes, including site selection, pre-construction, earth movements, and the infrastructure project. We deeply appreciate their commitment and guidance throughout these efforts. Together, we have laid a solid foundation for what will become an inspiring home for future generations of global change-makers.