Ninth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

The city of Valdivia, located at the Región de los Rios in Southern Chile, and its identity have been shaped by fluvial landscapes and the use of river channels. However, the city’s changing socioeconomic realities have transformed the relationship between the inhabitants and their rivers. This has resulted in the current poor association between the people and the fluvial landscapes, in contrast to the many river-related activities that took place in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Other factors that characterize Valdivia’s identity are natural events which have occurred since the foundation of the city, constantly changing the local landscapes. The destructions and changes of the riverbanks have led to new urban structures, but also to abandoned, privatized, unsafe and contaminated waterfronts. In this presentation, we discuss our ongoing investigation supported by the Ministry of Culture, Art and Heritage of the Government of Chile. This research deepens into the sensitive, perceptual and significant relationships between the inhabitants of Valdivia and the river and riverbanks through the application of a participatory study represents a case of “research in movement” and demonstrates the relevance of applying experiential methodologies to gather information. Qualitative methodologies were used to understand the phenomenological dimension of existing landscape structures. Our study findings show us different practices and ways of perceiving the urban riverbanks. This findings are relevant information to face urban design of waterfronts.