Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Concentration / FJL + Desarrollo Integral de Proyectos

Architects: FJL  + Desarrollo Integral de Proyectos

Location: Independencia, Santiago, Chile

Architect In Charge: Francisco Javier Leiva

Coordinator Architect: Silvia Durán

Constructor: Ingevec S.A.

Technical Inspection: Juan Eduardo Mujica y Cía. Ltda.

Area: 10,000 sqm

Year: 2012

Photographs: Cristián Ciolina

The proposed merger of the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty, is generated by the need to consolidate in the North Campus all units of the Faculty, and to date it counts academic “partitions” in its headquarters at 20^th Vicuña Mackenna st. and the Economic and Administrative Direction at 79^th Vicuña Mackenna st.

This initiative has a dual purpose, firstly to streamline the student, faculty and staff work, and on the other hand, allows the University to consolidate in the North Campus or “Health Campus” all academic units in conjunction with Medicine Faculty, The University Hospital and Dentistry Faculty.

Architectural imprint

If we analyze Campus Olivos structure, resulting theoretical disposition to evaluate the possibilities of “opening and closing” of the land given to Santos Dumont street, allowing more than one interesting volumes location imprint. But these alternatives, the most relevant in terms of shaping Campus, is one that agrees with the definition and creation of an “edge”. In this regard, it should be understood that most Campus systems of the University of Chile, are embedded in the urban fabric that is not only challenges given (and will) realize an interaction into the same, if not also outward, to public space and through it, to the City. In this sense the terrain chosen for the task is an archetypal case of this situation.

The responsibility for resolving the design of a border state, often neglected, is a delicate premise as a strong idea embodied communication, to be always present, to indicate the University territory, to point its trail and commitment to the Society and to interact with the urban grid immediately outside by talking with the other buildings in the neighborhood, especially those that make up the university infrastructure.

In this understanding, the main volume of research laboratories, and administrative offices Deanery is expressed and defined as a monolithic plate of strong institutional and contemporary image. This volume solves the complex duality of confining (edge), mark and pick up the new access to the Faculty from Santos Dumont street, forming an articulator portal (vertically and horizontally) by subtracting a section of the main “ship” in 1st Floor, stressing access, shaping and pointing to Campus.