Dereliction and Reconfiguration of Casas Patronales: a balancing act between material fragility and Chilean heritage
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Date
2022
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Abstract
Esta tesis explora las características tipológicas y materiales de las casas patronales como tipología de edificación tradicional en zonas rurales de Chile y las causas de su deterioro. Las casas patronales, definidas como grandes conjuntos rurales del Valle Central chileno originados entre los siglos XVII y XIX, evolucionaron gradualmente, creando patrones ortogonales en torno a patios. Estas casonas constituyeron la casa principal de las grandes haciendas agrícolas y funcionaban como su centro de actividad, cumpliendo propósitos agrícolas y administrativos, además de proporcionar espacio habitacional para los patrones, trabajadores domésticos y criados. A pesar de constituir una parte relevante del patrimonio protegido chileno, estas casas sufren una falta de valoración y reconocimiento por parte de la sociedad, lo que provoca su desocupación, abandono, deterioro y finalmente su desaparición. Esta tendencia a la decadencia tiene varias causas, entre las que destacan la fragilidad material (las construcciones de adobe son vulnerables a la actividad sísmica y caras de mantener) y la obsolescencia programática (la sequía y el progreso técnico dieron lugar a nuevas formas de agricultura, los cambios demográficos y la supremacía de la ciudad en muchos sectores provocan un éxodo rural, las viviendas familiares a gran escala con numerosos trabajadores domésticos en un entorno rural parecen anticuadas en la sociedad moderna). Esta investigación pretende exponer los problemas y desafíos de tipología y material. A partir de este análisis, el objetivo es comprender por qué muchos casos de estudio están deteriorándose o gravemente dañados, para, en última instancia, salvar este patrimonio nacional de la desaparición. La tesis sirve de apoyo al mi proyecto de título, que pretende reactivar una casa patronal negligida creando nuevas interdependencias entre el ámbito rural y el urbano.
This thesis explores the typological and material characteristics of casas patronales as a traditional building typology in rural areas of Chile and the causes of their dereliction. Casas patronales, defined as large rural complexes in the Chilean Central Valley originating from the 17th to 19th century, evolved gradually by creating orthogonal patterns around patios. Constituting the main house of large agricultural estates (haciendas), the casonas functioned as their centre of activity by fulfilling agricultural and administration purposes as well as providing housing space for the landowners, domestic workers and servants. Despite constituting a relevant share of listed heritage in Chile, these buildings suffer a lack of appreciation and recognition by the public, leading to vacancy, negligence, decay and eventually their disappearance. This downward trend has various causes, most importantly material fragility (adobe constructions are vulnerable to seismic activity and thus expensive to maintain) and programmatic obsolescence (aridity and technical progress led to new forms of agriculture, demographic changes and the city’s supremacy cause rural exodus, large-scale family homes with numerous domestic workers in a rural setting appear outdated in the modern society). This investigation aims to expose the problems and challenges of typology and material. Based on this analysis, the goal is to understand the causes of the case studies’ deterioration or severe damage, to ultimately save this national heritage from vanishing. The thesis serves as a support to the design project of my master’s degree, bringing back to life a neglected casa patronal and creating new interdependencies between the rural and the urban realm.
This thesis explores the typological and material characteristics of casas patronales as a traditional building typology in rural areas of Chile and the causes of their dereliction. Casas patronales, defined as large rural complexes in the Chilean Central Valley originating from the 17th to 19th century, evolved gradually by creating orthogonal patterns around patios. Constituting the main house of large agricultural estates (haciendas), the casonas functioned as their centre of activity by fulfilling agricultural and administration purposes as well as providing housing space for the landowners, domestic workers and servants. Despite constituting a relevant share of listed heritage in Chile, these buildings suffer a lack of appreciation and recognition by the public, leading to vacancy, negligence, decay and eventually their disappearance. This downward trend has various causes, most importantly material fragility (adobe constructions are vulnerable to seismic activity and thus expensive to maintain) and programmatic obsolescence (aridity and technical progress led to new forms of agriculture, demographic changes and the city’s supremacy cause rural exodus, large-scale family homes with numerous domestic workers in a rural setting appear outdated in the modern society). This investigation aims to expose the problems and challenges of typology and material. Based on this analysis, the goal is to understand the causes of the case studies’ deterioration or severe damage, to ultimately save this national heritage from vanishing. The thesis serves as a support to the design project of my master’s degree, bringing back to life a neglected casa patronal and creating new interdependencies between the rural and the urban realm.
Description
Tesis (Arquitecto y Magíster en Arquitectura)--Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 2023.
Tesis (Master of Science in Architektur)--Technische Unversität Berlin, 2022.
Tesis (Master of Science in Architektur)--Technische Unversität Berlin, 2022.
Keywords
Typology, Countryside, Haciendas, Material, Raw earth, Adobe, Seismic activity