Heritage homes are transformed into public-use student spaces in Valdivia

To date, the Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh) has restored more than a dozen historic houses in Valdivia, and is expected to continue this work in the coming years. Located in two main areas of the city—Isla Teja and the corridor known as the Yungay-General Lagos Axis—the university is committed to repurposing these existing structures, transforming them from family residences into public-use university spaces.

The restoration process aims to preserve the historical value of these buildings, which have stood as silent witnesses to the 65-year history of the Universidad Austral de Chile, weathering various crises and natural disasters over the years, including the Great Earthquake of 1960.

The main focus is the new use of the buildings and access. It matters to us that these places are part of the ecosystem, that they can be visited and appropriated by the public, rather than just by the university community - Leonor Adán, Director of Community Engagement at U. Austral.

The latest historic house restored by the Universidad Austral has been in use since March of this year. Anchoring the end of this Valdivian heritage route, the building houses the university's Main Office (Casa Central). It comprises two adjacent properties with contiguous facades that once belonged to two German immigrant families: the Reccius and the Holzapfel, who arrived in Chile in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The interventions at UACh's Casa Central were designed by Gerardo Saelzer, architect and professor at the UACh Faculty of Architecture and Arts, who, alongside a team of professionals, led the project while conducting extensive research to reconstruct the history of the buildings. This research was compiled in the book “Casa Central. Proyecto de Intervención Patrimonial" which documents the entire process.

Restoration work began in late 2017, with the facade of the Reccius house covered by a commemorative canvas banner. Óscar Galindo, rector of the Universidad Austral, explained that “not only is the original pre-earthquake facade being recovered, but what was lost is also being reconstructed, such as the attic and the upper portion of the Holzapfel House.” This same team was also responsible for restoring the Ehrenfeld House (now the Music Conservatory) and the Luis Oyarzún House (formerly the Hoffmann-Deppe House, and currently home to the Directorate of Community Engagement).

Heritage Rehabilitation of a Cultural Landscape

The design team worked with the intention of reconstructing the European cultural landscape in Valdivia: “The heritage rehabilitation process was guided by the conviction that we needed to return a specific, previously overlooked era to the city: that of Valdivia's masonry and stucco downtown, distinct from its timber and corrugated metal counterparts.”

From the start of their research, the project team analyzed hundreds of historical photographs to identify the cities that inspired early-century architects, tracing the roots of their influences. Consequently, they discovered that Wismar, a Hanseatic port city in northern Germany, offered valuable precedents to study, allowing them to accurately interpret the black-and-white photographs.

Heritage Trail and Preservation at the Universidad Austral

The Universidad Austral de Chile now boasts a dozen high-value historic homes that it has recovered and restored since 2015. The first of these was the Ehrenfeld House, which is now fully operational and houses the UACh Music Conservatory. Another, the Luis Oyarzún House, is home to the institution's Directorate of Community Engagement. These initiatives, part of a heritage program promoted by the university, are developed and funded jointly with the Chilean Ministry of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage. For UACh, it is essential to highlight the role of universities not only in conserving heritage buildings and adapting them for new uses, but also in preserving the urban fabric. 

Two New Heritage Restorations

During the second half of the year, another property will be adapted for public use under the university's heritage program. This is the former San Francisco Convent—whose church and convent were declared Historic Monuments in 2007—where UACh will establish its Extension Center. The site, which will become the Los Canelos Campus, will bring together cultural, artistic, scientific communication, and community outreach activities.

Additionally, restoration work will begin in August on a heritage property at 1470 General Lagos Street. The former Leiva Mella Home will become the new facility for UACh's Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center. Dating back to the 20th century, the house is part of the Typical Zone's heritage ensemble, alongside several other historic properties. The project will involve restoring the original house and rehabilitating the rear structure for university use.

“The teams at the Universidad Austral continue to envision the city and explore ways to recover its heritage. There is a significant lack of protection for architecture that has not been declared a Historic Monument. There is still a long way to go, and as we make progress, we always find more to do. Since we are dealing with valuable timber architecture, this must be a permanent program; wood requires ongoing care and maintenance,” concluded Leonor Adán.