In two week that will finish the demolition and begin to analyze which will be the future of this emblematic building.
CONCEPT DESIGN
Project
Location:
Santiago, Chile
CONCEPT DESIGN
Project
Location:
Santiago, Chile
Generally public spaces of better quality are, in fact, private spaces. Strictly speaking, they are called collective spaces because they are private property but of public use: the foyer of a theater, the hall of some Ministry or museum, or the nave of a church belongs in this category. The most potent and civilized example of this we have in Chile is the possibility of publicly circulating across the Presidential Palace of La Moneda. In fact, what is really unique is that it is some sort of a right, as each time one goes across it, one feels inclined to ask for permission or to give some explanation when it really isn’t necessary. This is very impressive and we know of no other place in the world where the citizen has been empowered to use, even if it is only to walk by it, a government seat, in a world where safety has weakened that civic power. One could therefore think that the burning of the Diego Portales building, the government seat during the Pinochet era, is a civic opportunity for a building to make a contribution to public space.
The proposal is based on the reconstruction of the Plenary Sessions Hall by building a sloped roof (to replace the lost one). From a structural point of view, a sloped roof significantly reduces the structural requirements, thus reducing the building’s recovery budget. With this operation, the level of the existing roof will be connected with the street level, defining in this way three public areas: an Elevated Square (over the roof), an Open Amphitheater (sloped roof) and a Square - Hall (parking roof), which could integrate themselves in a continuous line with the adjoining context of the squares of the complex and Lastarria neighborhood.
The lost interior program (halls, kitchen, cafeteria, etc.) will be restructured and redistributed below the proposed sloped roof, and underground parking will be added on three levels, increasing the capacity of the building and the neighborhood.
CONCEPT DESIGN
Project
Location:
Santiago, Chile
CONCEPT DESIGN
Project
Location:
Santiago, Chile
Everybody loves Diego Portales
LA NACIÓN | p. 16 | CHILE | 10/10/2006
A new face for the Diego Portales
PUBLIMETRO | p. 7 | CHILE | 04/07/2006
Three months have passed since a fire destroyed the Diego Portales building. Yesterday they began the work of removing the debris. However, the Minister of Defense, Vivianne Blanlot, did not specify to what use to give to the property even though two projects have already been presented to give a new face to te building. (…)
The ELEMENTAL Chile proposal, an association the joints different professionals from the Universidad Católica, suggested the construction of a large terrace in the space covered by the building giving it the use of a large public plaza.
“One could think that the fire is an opportunity for the building to create to public space.(…)
Proposals for the renovation of Diego Portales
CANAL 13 | En Boca de Todos | CHILE | 30/06/2006
The program En Boca de Todos showed the ELEMENTAL’s proposal and 3! Architects for the renovation of the Diego Portales building, that was partially destroyed by the fire of March 2006. The Minister of Defense still has not decided the buildings destiny.
Diego Portales: Considering projects for the remodeling the building
LA TERCERA | p. 15 | CHILE | 28/06/2006
Next Saturday debris removal of the area will begin of the area that was damaged in the March fire.
Two proposals from professionals connected to Universidad Católica consider taking advantage of the structure not damaged by the fire to create pedestrian zones or raised plazas. All the proposals are to be analyzed by the Defense Minister when reconstruction is commensed.