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Mining Cenotaph

Part 2 Project 2014
Alexis Quinteros Salazar
University of Chile | Chile
Abstract / What is the problem?
Nowadays, as a result of diverse national and local factors, mining has triggered a series of alterations with its aggressive implantation in the national territory; these can be seen in the town of Andacollo. Mining tailings in this place are symbol of the fateful legacy that mining has left behind, due to the huge amounts of mineral that companies need to extract in order to keep their levels of production.
Therefore, problem can be summarized into 3 fundamental points:
1.- TOPIC – Landscape - fateful legacy of mining.

2.- SITE – Andacollo - City of tailings and mining symbol

3.- SPACE – Tailings - and its conflict with the city

What should be done?
1. Theme / Spreading / Awareness
One can suggest a space attractive enough to gain attention, of which objective is to show the impact of mining and its “B-side”, seeking to raise awareness of the reality.

2. Place / Revitalization of memory
One can suggest a building that captures the history and symbolism behind mining, enhancing and revitalizing a memory that is currently disaggregated and ignored and has a very high touristic potential.

3. Space / Urban integration

It is necessary to consider tailings as part of the dynamics associated with the development and evolution of the city, understanding it as part of the historic reality despite of the negative charge that it has represented in the past. Under the view of architecture mining tailings represent a mass (a pile of soil and mining waste) without any particular use, establishing it as a urban gap (non-built area), which could be colonized with architecture that would give it a meaning and usage promoting its integration with the urban area, but keeping its public space character, turning it into a convergence and encounter space in the city.

The sense of Mining Cenotaph

A cenotaph is an "empty tomb", translated as a symbol that visualizes urban conflict of Andacollo.

The occupation of the tailing through the vacuum generates a memorial that seeking mixture between topographic, religious, symbolic and historical dimensions of the city.

Alexis Quinteros Salazar

Tutor(s)
Jorge Iglesis Guillard
2014
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