Rucatayo Social Investment Plan
Community diagnosis and execution of sustainable social infrastructure.
Place
Pilmaiquén, Chile
Year
2020
Objectives
To develop a participatory community diagnosis with grassroots social organizations (both indigenous and non-indigenous) within the influence zone of the Rucatayo Hydroelectric Plant.
To identify local needs, issues, and ideas to guide the company's Social Investment Plan in a relevant and sustainable manner.
To strengthen public and community infrastructure through the execution of "early works" that improve the quality of life in the towns of Pilmaiquén and Trehuaco.
To foster collaboration and local development aligned with international standards of sustainability and citizen participation.
Methodology
The project was deployed through a phased diagnosis and execution process:
Active Listening and Diagnosis: Conducting participatory workshops with local communities to establish a baseline of needs. In Trehuaco, the diagnosis prioritized road improvements, while in Pilmaiquén, it focused on public space.
Participatory Master Plan: In the town of Pilmaiquén, a Master Plan was designed for the main plaza, integrating the residents' vision to revitalize their civic center.
Construction of "Confidence-Building Works": Execution of the plan's first infrastructures, highlighted by the construction of a 36 m2 pergola-amphitheater standing 6 meters tall.
Co-creation and Monitoring: Constant engagement with inhabitants to ensure that the materials and purpose of the works responded to their cultural and social dynamics.
ClientS / Partners
Client: Statkraft (Rucatayo Plant influence zone).
Execution and Design: Ciudad Emergente.
Communities: Social and indigenous organizations from Pilmaiquén (Los Lagos Region) and Trehuaco (Los Ríos Region).
Resultado e Impacto
Cultural Infrastructure: Construction of a stage-amphitheater in Pilmaiquén that allows the community to enhance its folkloric, cultural, and sporting activities in a dignified and comfortable space.
Connectivity Improvement: Identification and prioritization of road improvement projects in the Trehuaco area.
Social Legitimacy: The process ensured that Statkraft's Social Investment Plan has community backing, as it is based on a real and participatory diagnosis.
Sense of Belonging: The creation of the Master Plan for the Pilmaiquén plaza laid the foundation for the town's future urban development, integrating neighbors into the fruit of their own participatory process.
Conclusiones
The work in the communities of Pilmaiquén and Trehuaco demonstrates that social investment from energy companies is most effective when built from the ground up. By conducting a diagnosis that includes both indigenous and non-indigenous organizations, Ciudad Emergente successfully channeled resources toward works with high symbolic and functional value, such as the Pilmaiquén amphitheater. This project serves as an example of how social architecture and participatory urbanism can transform the relationship between companies and territories, creating spaces that celebrate local identity and collective well-being.
