Site Pre-vitalization
Cultural and community activation at the former Little Sisters of the Poor Asylum.
Place
Santiago, Chile
Year
2015
Objectives
To temporarily reactivate disused sites or vacant lots to raise community awareness regarding their potential and possibilities.
To highlight the architectural and cultural heritage of historic buildings, such as the former Little Sisters of the Poor Asylum in the Matta Neighborhood.
To articulate the social fabric of the territory, involving local organizations in the management of the spaces they inhabit.
To gather citizen expectations and aspirations to inform future permanent uses of the property.
Methodology
The pre-vitalization tactic was executed through a process of urban and social acupuncture:
Intensive Social Articulation: One month of coordination with more than 13 local organizations to co-design the programming for the space.
Cultural Activation (Carmen 1200): Implementation of an arts and citizen participation agenda that allowed the heritage building to open to the community.
Research and Perception Measurement: Development of a parallel data collection process to identify desired uses and the names neighbors project for the site.
Opening Heritage: An open-access strategy to turn buildings over a century old into living laboratories for participation.
Clients / Partners
Participants: Representatives from more than 13 social, cultural, and neighborhood organizations in the sector.
Execution: Ciudad Emergen
Location
Carmen 1200, Matta Neighborhood (Santiago).
Results & Impacts
Heritage Visibility: The project succeeded in making an iconic site, previously closed, recognized and valued once again by its immediate surroundings.
Mobilized Cultural Capital: The activation allowed local artists and cultural managers to use the space as a platform, strengthening the identity of the territory.
Inputs for the Site's Future: A detailed diagnosis of community expectations and aspirations was generated, serving as a basis for any definitive reconversion project.
Citizen Ownership: The community moved from being spectators to being protagonists in the "new life" of a building with over a century of history.
Conclusions
Site Pre-vitalization demonstrates that empty spaces are not just "square meters" but containers of memory and collective aspirations. Through the Carmen 1200 intervention, Ciudad Emergente validated that culture and participation are the best tools for reactivating disused heritage. This project confirms that, before building or remodeling, it is necessary to "listen" to the place and its people, allowing the community to imagine and experiment with the future uses of their most iconic buildings.