Chile singular. Apuntes de viaje

S E W E L L , M I N I N G T OW N In the spring of 2009, we set out with pencils, notebooks, and the entire drawing course from the Faculty of Architecture at the Universidad San Sebastián to draw a new destiny. Up in the Andes Mountain Range in central Chile awaited the mining camp of Sewell. Located in a unique and dramatic setting amidst imposing mountains and at the feet of a massive copper mine, this abandoned mining town has been deserted for over half a century. Founded in the early 20th century by the Branden Cooper Company , it once had nearly 20.000 inhabitants in the 1950s-1960s. Today , some of its buildings remain, forming a remarkable urban spatiality organized by a system of stairs that define a distinctive set of great scenic value. Life in these surroundings was tough, with strict rules, regulated social coexistence, and a prohibition on alcohol for the workers. However, organized smuggling of liquor and entertainment became necessary to defy the imposed laws and endure everything else. Here, labor strikes and union demands rose amidst backbreaking work that required effort and courage. There were moments of recreation and restrained fun, always under control of the company’s conservative moral compass, which exploited both the mineral and its workers. As you ascend or descend the great central staircase, you can no longer find the urban life that once pulsated in these buildings and among these immense mountains. The masses, roofs, and facades remain like abandoned shells. The architecture, which once housed and sheltered life like a container, now stands empty , inviting us with its restored presence to imagine: where were they? How was life here? What happened in this place? The Sewell mining camp has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. SANT I AGO , 200 9 . 98