As part of the gradual return to in-person learning after the pandemic, the university authorized a short-format field trip under specific conditions. While the traditional Travesías could not be fully reinstated, a smaller version was approved, restricted to the Valparaíso Region and renamed Andada to reflect the shorter journey.
The Andada took place in Alicahue, a rural locality in the foothills of the Valparaíso Region, within the commune of Cabildo. The area gives its name to the surrounding landscape: the Alicahue Valley. Three potential sites for architectural intervention were considered, with the final project located at the edge of a medialuna—a semi-circular arena traditionally used for Chile’s national sport, the rodeo.
This specific location called for a dual-purpose intervention. On one hand, the community lacked seating for events; on the other, the same space was often used as an informal rural bus stop. The architectural gift was thus designed to fulfill both needs.
The project was developed collaboratively by two studio courses from the School of Architecture: Exhibition Spaces Studio 2021 and Editorial Occasion Studio 2021. The resulting structure is a lightweight, asymmetrical grandstand that incorporates a bus shelter in its lower void. The design responds to both community gathering and everyday transit, offering a sensitive and grounded piece of architecture shaped by its context.
