Urban regeneration and heritage restoration from a multiscale perspective in three modern housing complexes in Valparaíso, Chile

Abstract

This paper analyzes the links between urban regeneration processes and the rehabilitation of modern housing heritage in the city of Valparaíso, a relationship manifested in complex topographies and highly deteriorated urban landscapes. Its objective is to propose a methodology that integrates both components, comprising a multi-scale intervention matrix that considers the Macro Urban-Landscape Scale, the Intermediate Housing Complex-Neighborhood Scale, and the Micro Housing Unit Scale. Based on a selection of three relevant modern housing complexes in Valparaíso, drawn from state agency records of the city's topography between 1936 and 1976, the research combines bibliographic and historical-documentary analysis with on-site data collection. It concludes that, under this approach, the city's modern collective housing complexes can constitute an effective tool for residential repopulation, the revitalization of urban functions, and the strengthening of social cohesion among residents in deteriorated heritage contexts.