Ruins in the Desert

The Museum of the Atacama Desert lies at the foot of the Huanchaca ruins, south of the city of Antofagasta in northern Chile. The museum follows the form of the ruins that were declared a national monument in 1974. It seeks to pay homage to the archaeological remains—with their solid masonry, tidy volumes and thick walls—of the Playa Blanca silver foundry, defunct since 1902.

The geometric design of the museum’s five sloping rooms, which define its east-west axis, reflects the foundry’s volumes and alternating voids and solids. These volumes then link the two esplanades with the surrounding terrain, creating a platform for the monument and fluidity within the Huanchaca Cultural Park complex.

The north entry vestibule connects to the ruins by a long cleft, affording views of the marvelous pre-existing construction. Three terraces address the issues of ventilation and climate control, and define the interior’s visual relationship with the ruins. The vertical monolithic of poured concrete that houses the facilities does not break up the upper platform’s visual relationship with views of the ruin, justifying the building’s only non-horizontal element.

The lookout on the usable platform not only connects the museum with the sea but also re-emphasizes the relationship between the sloping terrain and the cultural park’s west-facing orientation.

Ramón Coz received his degree in architecture from the Universidad Central de Chile (1977). Selected at the IX International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, at the XIV and XV Biennale of Architecture in Chile. Teaches at Universidad Mayor in Santiago de Chile. Partner of the Coz-Polidura-Volante architecture firm.

Eugenia Soto received her degree from the Universidad Central de Chile (1995), with a doctorate from ETSAB Barcelona. She has given workshops at the Universidad Central de Chile, UDP and Universidad Mayor.

Iñaki Volante received his degree from the Universidad Central de Chile (1996), with a doctorate from ETSAB Barcelona (2000). Partner of the REI and the Coz-Polidura-Volante architecture firms. Director of the Universidad Mayor’s Architecture School and lecturer at the Diego Portales University and the Universidad Central de Chile.

Marco Polidura Álvarez received his degree from the Universidad Central de Chile (1998). He has taught at various universities and is partner of the Coz-Polidura-Volante architecture firm.