Restoration of 3 Valparaíso Elevators / BBATS + TIRADO

+ 23

Text description provided by the architects. There was once a system of elevators—or rather, funiculars—that climbed the hillsides of Valparaíso to reach the colorful houses from where one could look out over the urban grid, the port, and the sea. Of these, only a few have survived. The funiculars of Valparaíso can be seen as a sort of bridge between the flat part of the city and its hills, and they are integral to the landscape of this port city. They are among the most characteristic and iconographic symbols of the city; each has its own evolution and, together, they are part of the history of Valparaíso and its industrial development, while also reflecting the social and economic challenges the city faces. Yet beyond their immense heritage and social value, these devices emerged, evolved, and continue to function as part of the public transit system for locals, daily commuters, and visitors alike.