Commissioned by the Tánica Group, Mecanoo designed a masterplan for the neighbourhood of Lo Recabarren, northeast of the city centre, that is a commitment to creating sustainable living and working environments and socially inclusive communities. The design is fundamentally inspired by the site’s natural environment; the spectacular surroundings of the Andes Mountains and Mapocho River.
The scheme makes use of existing characteristics, including views, landscape features and existing architecture, to define programming and layout. The masterplan is distributed in sectors for living, working and leisure. The concept seamlessly partitions these different typologies along a north-south gradient, with commercial areas located predominantly in the south and residential quarters being more prominent further north.
Pircas, crude masonry walls of river stones, are used to define separations between public and private areas. Across the site are pockets of collective space for residents which facilitate social gatherings and community spirit. The masterplan is designed as a publicly accessible mixed use urban park, unique for this type of private development.
Located on the border of two major roads, the park functions as the area’s main slow traffic circulation artery, and further creates generous space for a wide variety of leisure activities. The Marquesina, a singular structure of pavilions connected by a semi-covered pathway, gives architectural form to the surrounding green spaces, whilst providing shelter, hosting cultural activities, and guiding visitors through the park. As the masterplan’s icon, the Marquesina provides a clearly identifiable front to Lo Recabarren.