Towards a balanced densification in cities: an approach to the case of Estación Central in Santiago de Chile

Abstract

The recent hyper-densification process in the commune of Estación Central in Santiago de Chile resulting from the so-called ‘vertical ghettos’ has opened up the discussion on the concept of ‘balanced densification’ in urban regeneration processes. According to this process in particular, the present article presents the results of a study that finally elucidates the role played by those perceptual and spatial factors that define the concept of ‘balanced densification’. The article has addressed the analysis of a series of cases in the commune, taking into account state-of-the-art studies on density and the assessment of those components that enabled the construction of those ‘hyper-densified’ buildings. As an overall result, the study proved that residential density in itself is not typologically correlated at morphological level. In the Chilean case, indeed, it is mainly mediated at predial level and not at block level, which would allow for generating distorted constructability conditions, affecting the perception of the urban imaginary. Finally, the article provides normative and typological criteria for an urban regeneration in pericentral areas, which could be applied in the case of Estación Central or other communes with similar characteristics.