Modernity, Urban Design and Utopia: Notes on the political basis of the shares of Urban Renewal in Santiago. CORMU 1966-1973. (Part One)

Abstract

This is a response to the Corporación de Mejoramiento Urbano CORMU and what this corporation accomplished from 1965 to 1976, and the conceptual formalizations and the technical practices that are developed as 'urban upgrade' within the political and administrative spheres of the State of Chile. The authors conclude that because of the historical moment, within the urban cultural ambit and the technical practices of the State a new way of dealing with urban development is developed. Urban Architectural Projects become more important than Urban Plans thus the concept of Urban Projects becomes a principle. This is when Urban Design becomes important as a profession within public institutions in Chile.