Santiago is going through an architectural renaissance of sorts. Led by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Alejandro Aravena and his practice ELEMENTAL, the city is bustling with exciting new projects that stay true to its regional vernacular while exploring new forms and technologies. One of its most beautiful projects, the Bahá’í Temple (pictured above) by Canadian architect Siamak Hariri is particularly stunning as its lotus-like facade made out of glass stands over the city as a crowning jewel.
Check out Santiago’s amazing #mustseearchitecture below.
Contemporary Architecture
Bahá’í Temple
Set within the Andean foothills just outside Santiago, this stunning building by Canadian architect Siamak Hariri is a temple of light for the religious in all walks of life. Composed of nine elegant glass veils, this non-denominational temple brings together all faiths under the organically-inspired roof.
Practical Information
Architect: Hariri Pontarini Architects
Built: 2016
Type: Temple
Address: Diagonal Las Torres, Penalolen, Region Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 3:00pm – 7:00pm, Sunday: 9:00am – 7:00pm
Website: www.templo.bahai.cl
Innovation Center UC
The innovation center is the sophisticated integration of private business with academic research in one monolithic building. Designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning architect Alejandro Aravena, the building is intended to flip the traditional functions of a building by putting its structure on the outside, creating opportunities for meeting and collaboration between interest groups within. The large concrete mass and large voids on the outside of the building also allows it to naturally heat and cool itself throughout the year, drastically decreasing the need for heating and air conditioning.
Practical Information
Architect: Alejandro Aravena | ELEMENTAL
Built: 2014
Type: Innovation Center
Address: Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: www.centrodeinnovacion.uc.cl
Siamese Towers
The Siamese Towers house all of the computer infrastructure and programming for the local university. Despite the client’s demands for a glass tower, the building uses a double-skin facade to regulate the amount of daylight getting into the internal spaces, while allowing heat to escape naturally up through the building. The split at the top giving it its iconic look is purely for aesthetic purposes.
Practical Information
Architect: Alejandro Aravena | ELEMENTAL
Built: 2003
Type: Institutional
Address: Camino Privado, Macul, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center
The Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center is an excellent example of adapting and reusing an existing building, albeit one with a rich yet arguably controversial past. The original building was constructed as a monument to Salavador Allende’s rule and housed dictator Augusto Pinochet’s government following Allende’s eventual coup. The architectural design, therefore, focuses on transparency and openness to invite a new relationship with the city. Weathering steel, concrete, glass, and wood are all used to reinforce this idea and integrate the new program with the old.
Practical Information
Architect: Cristian Fernandez Arquitectos + Lateral Arquitectura & Diseño
Built: 2010
Type: Cultural Center
Address: Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center – Av Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 227, Barrio Lastarria, Santiago, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 3:00pm – 7:00pm, Sunday: 9:00am – 7:00pm
Website: www.templo.bahai.cl
UDP Economics and Business Faculty
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Located at the foot of San Cristobal hill, this Economics building for Diego Portales University rises above the valley to provide protected leisure spaces for the students below. Its monumental design with massive concrete walls speaks to the architect’s desire to create a building with permanence and stability. A series of large voids and scattered punched windows provide relief in the building’s facade and spaces for connection to the region’s landscape.
Practical Information
Architect: Rafael Hevia, Rodrigo Duque Motta, Gabriela Manzi
Built: 2014
Type: Institutional
Address: Huechuraba, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: www.templo.bahai.cl
Universidad Católica de Chile Mathematics School
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Practical Information
Architect: Alejandro Aravena + Luis Lucero
Built: 1990
Type: Institutional
Address: Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Boulevard Ñuñoa Square
Located next to Santiago’s city hall, this submerged outdoor shopping area is an interesting study in mixing vehicular traffic with public space. At the street level, a large void separates the cars from a large open square revealing commercial and cultural spaces below.
Practical Information
Architect: PLAN Arquitectos
Built: 2012
Type: Retail
Address: Plaza Ñuñoa, Región Metropolitana,Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Alto El Golf
A relatively new office building in Santiago, the architects divided the tower into a series of shifting planes and volumes to provide outdoor space for the workers to socialize. Floor-to-ceiling curtain wall allows for ample natural daylight to flood the interior.
Practical Information
Architect: Handel Architects
Built: 2014
Type: Office
Address: 2969 Av Vitacura, Las Condes, Santiago Metropolitan Region
Open to the Public: No
Historic Architecture
Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Bellas Artes)
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Nicknamed ‘The Palace’, the Museo de Bellas Artes was inspired by the Petit Palais in Paris and is one of Chile’s most architecturally-significant buildings. Designed by French-Chilean architect Emile Jéquier, the museum is most noted for its centrally-located glass cupola which was imported from Belgium back in 1907.
Practical Information
Architect: Emile Jéquier
Built: 1910
Style: Baroque and Art Nouveau
Type: Museum
Address: José Miguel de La Barra 650, Santiago, Metropolitan Region, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00am – 7:45pm
Cost:
Website: http://www.mnba.cl/
Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago
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Located in Santiago’s historic center, the Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago was first built in the 1500’s but was reconstructed several times due to earthquakes. Italian architect Joaquín Toesca is noted for the design of the current church and while Ignacio Cremonesi added Tuscan and Roman touches to the facade closer to the end of the construction.
Practical Information
Architect: Joaquín Toesca, Ignacio Cremonesi
Built: 1748-1800
Style: Neoclassical
Type: Cathedral
Address: Plaza de Armas, Santiago, Metropolitan Region, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: http://www.iglesiadesantiago.cl/
Basilica de La Merced
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Constructed in 1795, this adobe basilica is a Chilean national monument designed by Joaquín Toesca in the Neorenaissance style.
Practical Information
Architect: Joaquín Toesca, Ignacio Cremonesi
Built: 1795
Style: Neorenaissance
Type: Basilica
Address: Merced 628, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: http://www.mercedarios.cl/
Palace of the Courts of Justice (Palacio de los Tribunales de Justicia)
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Palacio de los Tribunales de Justicia de Santiago hosts the Supreme Court of Chile amongst other Chilean civic institutions. The building was constructed over two phases with the western portion completed in 1911 and designed in the neoclassical style. A two-tiered portico composed of ionic and doric columns demark its entrance.
Practical Information
Architect: Émile Doyère
Built: 1905-1930
Style: Neoclassical
Type: Civic
Address: Company of Jesus 1140, Santiago, Metropolitan Region, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday to Friday: 8:00am – 2:00pm
Website: http://www.pjud.cl/
Palacio de La Moneda
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Originally designed as the city’s mint during colonial times, the Palacio de La Moneda is the seat of the President of the Republic of Chile and was designed by Italian architect Joaquín Toesca who is credited for several of Santiago’s most notable classical building.
Practical Information
Architect: Joaquín Toesca
Built: 1784-1805
Style: Neoclassical
Type: Civic
Address: Moneda S/N, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Daily: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Website: http://www.gob.cl/historia-palacio/
Teatro Municipal de Santiago
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The Teatro Municipal is the most significant Theater and Opera House in Santiago and was designed by French-Chilean architect Claudio Brunet des Baines in the neoclassical style. The building was the subject of a massive fire in 1870 and was completely rebuilt in 1873 by Lucien Henault.
Practical Information
Architect: Claudio Brunet des Baines
Built: 1857
Style: Neoclassical
Type: Opera House, Theatre
Address: Agustinas 794, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: http://www.municipal.cl/
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Architect: Claudio Brunet des Baines
Built: 1857
Style: Neoclassical
Type: Opera House, Theatre
Address: Agustinas 794, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: http://www.municipal.cl/
Architect: Joaquín Toesca
Built: 1784-1805
Style: Neoclassical
Type: Civic
Address: Moneda S/N, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Daily: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Website: http://www.gob.cl/historia-palacio/
Architect: Émile Doyère
Built: 1905-1930
Style: Neoclassical
Type: Civic
Address: Company of Jesus 1140, Santiago, Metropolitan Region, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday to Friday: 8:00am - 2:00pm
Website: http://www.pjud.cl/
Architect: Joaquín Toesca, Ignacio Cremonesi
Built: 1795
Style: Neorenaissance
Type: Basilica
Address: Merced 628, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: http://www.mercedarios.cl/
Architect: Joaquín Toesca, Ignacio Cremonesi
Built: 1748-1800
Style: Neoclassical
Type: Cathedral
Address: Plaza de Armas, Santiago, Metropolitan Region, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: http://www.iglesiadesantiago.cl/
Architect: Emile Jéquier
Built: 1910
Style: Baroque and Art Nouveau
Type: Museum
Address: José Miguel de La Barra 650, Santiago, Metropolitan Region, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00am - 7:45pm
Cost:
Website: http://www.mnba.cl/
Architect: Alejandro Aravena + Luis Lucero
Built: 1990
Type: Institutional
Address: Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Practical Information
Architect: Rafael Hevia, Rodrigo Duque Motta, Gabriela Manzi
Built: 2014
Type: Institutional
Address: Huechuraba, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: www.templo.bahai.cl
Architect: Alejandro Aravena | ELEMENTAL
Built: 2003
Type: Institutional
Address: Camino Privado, Macul, Región Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Architect: Handel Architects
Built: 2014
Type: Office
Address: 2969 Av Vitacura, Las Condes, Santiago Metropolitan Region
Open to the Public: No
Architect: PLAN Arquitectos
Built: 2012
Type: Retail
Address: Plaza Ñuñoa, Región Metropolitana,Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Architect: Cristian Fernandez Arquitectos + Lateral Arquitectura & Diseño
Built: 2010
Type: Cultural Center
Address: Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center - Av Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 227, Barrio Lastarria, Santiago, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 3:00pm - 7:00pm, Sunday: 9:00am - 7:00pm
Website: www.templo.bahai.cl
Architect: Alejandro Aravena | ELEMENTAL
Built: 2014
Type: Innovation Center
Address: Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Website: www.centrodeinnovacion.uc.cl
Architect: Hariri Pontarini Architects
Built: 2016
Type: Temple
Address: Diagonal Las Torres, Penalolen, Region Metropolitana, Chile
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 3:00pm - 7:00pm, Sunday: 9:00am - 7:00pm
Website: www.templo.bahai.cl
