Urban design and the sense of place: analysis of meaningful places in Valdivia

• Published in: Revista de urbanismo no. 30; pp. ág. 69 - 78
• Main Authors: Laura Yazmin Rodríguez Negrete, Ernesto Antonio Zumelzu Scheel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad de Chile 01-06-2014
• ISSN: 0717-5051
• DOI: 10.5354/ru.v16i30.30879

Chilean cities should be subject of serious concern, not only because population in them is growing in size, but also in discontent. Functionality related problems, as well as a loss of local identity, make dwelling in urban areas meaningless. Addressing the aforementioned problems requires an approach that not only considers functionality, but also perceptual and subjective issues that arise from the perception that the inhabitants of cities have, in relation with their environment. Therefore, the sense of place appears to be a fundamental aspect to look at, since it can transform the way of inhabiting a certain area. Moreover, some guidance regarding what is a good place, and should it be can be found within the principles of urban design. However, the linkage between design theory, creating sense of place and the urban design practice, have not been developed yet. This articles intends to look at how Sternberg’s integrative urban design theory could be applied, putting emphasis on the production of places with meaning, through the projects developed in an architecture studio at the Universidad Austral de Chile, for the city of Valdivia. The results focus on the spatial transformation of key areas of the city, through a methodology that integrates theory and practice.