- Architects: Juan Pavez Aguilar, José Requesens Aldea, Fernando Miranda Monreal
- Location: Av. Brasil 2085, Valparaíso, Región de Valparaíso, Chile
- Project Area: 4830.0 m2
- Project Year: 2014
- Photographs: Marcelo Cáceres
- Office: Dirección del Plan Maestro de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso. Vicerrectoría de Desarrollo.
- Collaborators: Arturo Chicano, Eduardo Acevedo, Diego Candia, Francesca Montaño, María José Serey, Patricio Chacana, Ximena Valdés, Iván Cordero.
- Construction: Bravo e Izquierdo Ltda.
- Structures: Luis Della Valle Solari
- Client: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
From the architect. Located at the Brazil Campus of PUCV, the project corresponds to a building of 6 floors and 2 underground levels with a total of 4830 m2, which mainly houses research and teaching laboratories, classrooms and auditorium, graduate areas, a cafe and library, administrative and faculty offices for the School of Biochemical Engineering.
Facade volumes are projected by their cardinal orientation, opening to the north (the sea) through an exoskeleton of reinforced concrete that is closed to the south in a large wall suspended on Av. Brasil. Natural light and ventilation are shared through the central void.
In relation to this, the program system responds to natural light intensity of the building, placing laboratories and controlled environments precincts south (Av. Brasil), circulation and living areas in the central void (daylight). Administrative and faculty offices to the north (the sea).
As urban element, the base of the building is set back forming a front yard that converges toward the main entrance to incorporate, at ground level, the public space of Av. Brasil into the building.
Furthermore, along with the Fire Department of Valparaiso, there is a memorial plaque installed on the base of the building, to the 36 firefighters who died in the fire of the old Barraca Schulze on January 1, 1953.
