Más que una suma de casas. La unidad vecinal villa san pedro de coronel

Abstract

The Housing Corporation (CORVI by its initials in Spanish), through the industrial development of the area -partly promoted by the Production Development Corporation (CORFO by its initials in Spanish) after the Chillán 1939 earthquake- and the construction of the CAP-Huachipato plant, planned to build a housing complex designed to meet the growing housing needs. This initiative became urgent after the Valdivia 1960 earthquake. The Corporation, due to the geographical features of Concepción and the shortage of economical lands near the city, focused its attention on Coronel-town considered as part of Concepción-. Also, it is important to point out the political discourse of the Neighbourhood Unit, probably influenced by the Cuban revolution of 1959 and its impact on the American policy towards Latin American countries. This housing project, designed by architects Raúl Farrú and Enrique Porte, consisted on 1,918 rooms distributed between houses and flats. Through this project, whether it be for its urban and architectural design or its users selection policy, the CORVI laid the basis for the creation of a new kind city; it was the first step on a major initiative. The success of the CORVI programme was reflected in the continuance, or survival, of services such as schools and commerce. In fact, this plan was beyond physical design as use and function variables were included in it. Such diversity of functions and activities -combined with housing offer- turned this project into a practically autonomous satellite town.