Pewenche Indigenous Cultural Identity in the Design of Public Buildings in Ralco, Alto Biobío

Abstract

This research springs from the interest in the area of Alto Biobío due to its recent creation as a municipality and its strong cultural identity with the Pewenche people. The study contrasts how relevant Indigenous architectural design criteria are applied in buildings of public facilities in the town of Ralco, with the level of belonging as gathered from a survey of the local population, and consequently, the culturally relevant urban image that Ralco seeks to project through these buildings. For this reason, five relevant design criteria were selected - orientation, morphology and adaptation to climate and through materiality, and participation in the design process - to analyze the design of public buildings selected as samples for this exploratory study (Pewenche Museum and Municipal Building). Finally, the contrast between the relevant design criteria and the actual representativeness of the buildings serves to refine basic guidelines that will serve as design inputs for future projects of Pewenche culturally relevant public buildings.