IN-PERSON ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)

Abstract

Abaroa House is a heritage property located in Antofagasta, a Chilean city on the coast of the Atacama Desert. Founded in 1868, Antofagasta developed in close connection with the nitrate industry, a highly valued resource at the time. By 1910, the city had consolidated its growth, driven by the nitrate boom, copper mining in Chuquicamata, and silver extraction in Bolivia. In the 1920s, Antofagasta experienced a period of prosperity that led to the transformation of its racetrack and Campo de Marte into a residential axis for the local elite, featuring family residences and green areas. Within this context, Abaroa House was built by Spanish architect Jaime Pedreny, commissioned by entrepreneur Andrónico Abaroa.
In 2008, the property was declared a National Historic Monument of Chile for its historical value—as evidence of the city’s development—its aesthetic and architectural value—as a representative single-family villa of the period—and its urban-environmental value due to its location along a park avenue. Despite its heritage significance, the house has been managed by various institutions over the years, none of which have succeeded in activating its potential, resulting in its deterioration and current closure. This proposal presents a project and management model, co-developed with the local community, aimed at fostering the site’s sustainability and heritage activation. The initiative includes the building’s rehabilitation, preserving its heritage values, while equipping it to host cultural and creative entrepreneurship activities. The proposed governance model outlines an institutional framework and financing mechanisms to ensure long-term economic viability and continuity.