Emilio Duhart: Seminario del Gran Santiago, 1957. Clarifications on the urban design

Abstract

The physical separation of functions within the city proclaimed by the CIAM’s (Congreso Internacional de Arquitectura Moderna) ‘Athens Charter’was transformed into the synthesis of modern urban design as well as the driving force behind its decline and fall. In the 1960s, generalised criticism of the “functionalisation”, “rationalisation” and “mechanisation” of the modern city drew a veil of rejection for future generations.

The “Seminario del Gran Santiago” was held in Chile in 1957, calling together diverse specialists to address the urban problems arising in the capital city from a broader perspective. One of the participants was the architect Emilio Duhart Harosteguy, who undertook a detailled analysis and drew up urban proposals for Santiago. One can detect a priori in his exhibition a direct influence from the principles of modern architecture, but also a certain intellectual autonomy when proposing urban models for public space.