Santiago’s urban form has been heavily influenced by the starkly different political eras Chile has endured throughout its modern history as a nation state. From Salvador Allende’s “La vía chilena al socialismo” (“The Chilean way to socialism”), to the brutal Pinochet regime that followed, and into the contemporary democratic Chile of today, the city’s urban character reflects the aesthetic and social priorities of each era.
On a recent trip to Chile, I captured a few moments around the city to portray its vibrancy, resilience, and plurality of experience. While my time in Santiago was short, the impression it left upon me as an urbanist was great.
About the Author: Adam Hasan is a Junior undergraduate student studying Geography and City & Regional Planning. His research interests include understanding the actors involved in defining and redefining Global South urbanisms through social movements, governance systems, and media, as well as the history of spatial planning in post-colonial regions. Adam has previously worked with participatory informal settlement upgrading in South Africa, coastal resilience planning in Brooklyn, and was once ranked internationally as one of Simcity 4’s best city builders. In his free time he enjoys birdwatching, coffee roasting, and plays vice-skip on a local curling team.