Rethinking the territory of Concepción, Chile: A resilient and strategic planning for a vulnerable urban coastal system

Teaching staff.
Supervisor: Nico Tillie, Taneha Kuzniecow Bacchin

Students.
Authors: Catalina Rey Hernández

This research aims to re-envision the city, understanding it as a living system where change creates growth and renewal, and where uncertainty is our new normal. Chile, as a territory, is exposed to multiple natural forces that trigger a series of natural disasters that affect cities in different ways and degrees in the country. In that context, the city of Concepción has been affected severely during the last two decades. Concepción is a coastal urban area that has grown into a tidal coastal wetland landscape. The territory is increasingly at risk due to the urban pressure of the expanding city, resulting in degradation of ecosystems and natural infrastructure, consequently exposing the coastal city to even more frequent and severe natural hazards.

Adaptation, appropriation and flexibility are essential elements for a resilient system with multifunctional structures and a new awareness about the importance of the disrupted landscape. The design results in a void adaptive network based on design principles like:

1. Value the natural systemas the base infrastructure for the city.

2. Use of voids (unplanned spaces) as emergent, autonomous and self-organized network for risk management.

3. Complete the void network using a green and blue infrastructure as resilient backbone for the city.

4. Reformulate the city as a provider of nature.

These steps lead to a resilient spatial framework that provides more adaptability to natural disasters. The designed backbone was tested in a few extreme scenarios and modified where necessary. This approach could be applied in other cities with similar challenges.