A governmental building near Valparaíso port
View of Valparaíso hillside
Colorful historic facades
I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Valparaíso, and one of the most interesting things that I learned on the day trip was the qualifications for Valparaíso becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and all of the regulations that must be followed to maintain that status. I did some more research on the UNESCO website and learned that the significance of the site has to do with the eclectic mix of culture that resulted from the many settlers from different countries stopping at Valparaíso. One thing that I found particularly interesting was the fact that in order to follow UNESCO regulations, only the facades of buildings need to be preserved. This regulation resulted in some interesting architecture, such as the first picture in this post. This governmental building still complies with UNESCO regulations because the outermost facade is still in tact, however a glass-clad building emerges out of the top. Although I was not a fan of this particular building, I think that the overall concept presents the opportunity to experiment with a blend of new and old architecture. Also, this allows architects to continue to renovate the interior of buildings to suit the needs of people living in the city, while still maintaining the iconic appearance that Valparaíso is known for. UNESCO recognizes the fact that buildings will require maintenance in order to stay operating, so specific measures have been put in place to identify where and what buildings can be amended.
I really enjoyed looking around the city and seeing the innumerable historic buildings, each with their own character. Some buildings appear very dilapidated, however it is important to remember that they serve a historical purpose as well as a functional purpose. Looking inside some of the windows I noticed interiors that had recently been updated to fit the needs of people living there. However, every building contained a historic facade, which was not only visually appealing to me as a tourist, but also gave a glimpse into the past about the various cultures that passed through the city and left their mark, creating the picture that Valparaíso is today.
Hi Sam!
I was also very intrigued by the first building you posted. I also agree that I do not believe it was successful in blending the past with the present in terms of architecture. This building definitely did not reach its full potential as I felt the design met the needs of the client more than the needs of the built environment. The historic facade is well recognizable by many and just sticking a glass box through the entablature of the facade is slightly hard to look at. In terms of historic preseravation I do not believe it succeeded because it is trying to overpower the existing material. Having the base and tower compete with each other only gives an appearance of lack of focus and disregard for parts relating to a whole.
The blend of cultures in Valparaíso was something that stood out to me as well. Alejandro reinforced the fact that settlers from many countries came together to create the beautiful eclectic city, but what I found especially interesting was how despite its diversity, the people of Valparaíso didn’t always live together in perfect harmony. This was revealed when we learned about the Anglican church we visited. It was the first Anglican church to be declared in South America, and consequently faced many challenges (even when it was finally allowed to be built, for instance, the doors had to be smaller entrances than those of the Catholic churches).
Conflicts like these are not ones we recognize or think of when we visit a beautiful place like Valparaíso, but there are a reminder of a country’s and a culture’s history. I think that the existing architecture is a way to preserve this history, and keeping it a UNSECO World Heritage Site is an amazing way to do so. It makes sense that the interiors can be renovated and changed, of course, but the heart of the building seems to remain. I think it is important to recognize that while the buildings’ exteriors reveal their individual origins, looking at a view of Valparaíso as a whole shows how it has truly grown and blended together to develop a new special culture of its own.