LABORIOUS LANDSCAPES

Reimagining the Urban Landscapes of Valparaiso

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Critic: David Gouverneur (2015) | Valparaiso, Chile

Research Partners: L. Rule, J. Yi, & M. Cui

Exhibited in PennDesign ‘Year End Show’

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This collaborative landscape and urban design studio is located in Valparaiso, a coastal city in central Chile which extends from a low lying, historic port to the surrounding mountains. Though the city was booming in the nineteenth century, it currently lacks the infrastructure and services needed to serve the growing informal portion of the city, mitigate the fire risk caused by eucalyptus plantations, and provide economic stability.

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The strategy developed to address these issues emphasizes the inherent connection between ecology and economy to provide a framework for urban growth that is consistent with the local identity and its natural landscape.