Renovación urbana en el centro histórico de Santiago, Chile: el caso de la manzana de la Casa Colorada

Abstract

The objective of this article is to contribute to the debate on urban renewal in Latin American historic centers, specifically analyzing how certain regulations have mor-phologically transformed colonial built heritage in Santiago de Chile. The article critically examines urban renovations and regulatory changes developed in the Casa Colorada block. Few colonial buildings remain in the historic center; earthquakes have destroyed a large portion, and the deregulation of urban renovations and certain norms have had a negative impact on their conservation. Therefore, we analyze the normative transformations from the Official Urbanization Plan of the Commune of Santiago (1939) until the application of the Conjunto Armónico (Specific Plan Area) and the definition of the Historic Conservation Zone (2008). The block where the Historic Monument is located is a paradigmatic example, since it reveals the different morphological regulations that have been applied and the scarce colonial heritage that remains.