The design proposal for the TIP project is approached on three distinct scales:
Scale:Urban Envelope
The Port Terminal area serves as the terminal point of the existing waterfront and as an extension of it southward. Within this context, five key landmarks are proposed, each sharing common geometrical and architectural expressions. These landmarks are positioned as terminating points along the perpendicular streets:
Bellavista Landmark: A skatepark platform is proposed for skateboarding activities. The program level is designed as an extension of the edge to avoid obstructing the horizon view.
Guillermo Pérez de Arce Landmark: The current edge is in a state of neglect. Improving access to the beach becomes an opportunity to reclaim this area as public space for recreation.
Serrano Street Landmark: A nautical sports program (boathouse) is proposed, located below the promenade level with direct access to the sea. Its roof will also function as a public observation deck.
Oscar Viel Landmark: A tourist restaurant is proposed, designed for year-round use, with an outdoor expansion area during the short summer months.
Plaza del Viento Landmark: At the terminus of the pathway, a large open plaza is proposed, flanked by wind-protecting walls that double as seating, oriented in various directions to capture different views.
The materiality of the proposed route reflects its functions: the outer cycle path is asphalt contained by concrete curbs, the pedestrian walk is paved with grey stone cobblestones, and decking areas are made of wood. The terminal area itself opens its perimeter to the public, reintegrating the space with the city.
Scale 2: Port Area
The port area layout seeks to optimize its functional use while enhancing its relationship with the city. The proposal preserves the original concrete structures of the warehouse buildings and unites them into a single element to house a new cultural program: a Naval Museum, open to the city. The existing Naval and Maritime Museum currently located on Avenida Puerto Montt will be moved and expanded here. Its entrance will directly connect with the waterfront promenade, animated by planting to soften the space.
The original frames of the warehouse structures will be expanded through a steel substructure that allows for generous interior lighting while aligning the building’s height with the Passenger Terminal, integrating it into a singular architectural action.
The former Customs Building (EPA) remains at the forefront in a significant position within the complex, with its extension featuring a glazed crown that accentuates its presence.
The warehouse space vacated by the Naval Museum will be replaced by a more functional block containing a maneuvering yard. The new volume is constructed in steel and clad with corrugated metal sheets, extending along the western edge. A vertical extrusion of this same mass rises at the northern end by the pier, forming a single vertical element that symbolically references a lighthouse, serving as the region’s gateway.
Scale 3: TIP
While the International Passenger Terminal is conceived as a completely independent functional and volumetric unit, together with the proposed Naval Museum and the visual extension of Avenida Independencia, they form an inseparable unit that celebrates the meeting point between the city and the sea, in homage to the fifth centenary of the first circumnavigation of the globe. At this central point, the historic «Clock of the Strait» will be relocated.
The TIP is proposed as a prism that «floats» above the site, ensuring a visual continuation from the city to the Strait of Magellan. Elevation changes are deliberately avoided, and the materiality of the exterior stone paving is continued within the interior to reinforce the character of a public space, protected by a glazed perimeter of folding thermal panes.
The first level is conceived as a large multifunctional space to house all the essential terminal functions (SAG, Sernatur, Customs, Maritime Authority, etc.) as well as a double-height event hall. This hall can be integrated into the open-plan space for public activities, particularly in the off-season when no cruises are operating.
Above the free-plan level, a metallic structure rests on cylindrical concrete supports. The aluminum perimeter follows the transparent folds of the first level, creating the illusion of a floating volume, accessible by internal stairs at specific connection points.
The second floor houses enclosed programs, such as public services related to the terminal, including commercial spaces, administration, and a restaurant. This is the only area where the view of the sea is selectively opened, serving as the sole window to the exterior.
The terminal is surrounded by public space that remains freely accessible, naturally restricting entry to the port terminal areas. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic flows are understood as an extension and continuation of the waterfront promenade. Taxi and bus lanes are clearly defined, also allowing for temporary occupation during the off-season.
Sustainability Principles
The design considers the following sustainability principles:
Natural light utilization: Maximizing the use of daylight to reduce energy consumption.
Thermal control: Appropriate thermal insulation for the building envelope and utilizing greenhouse effect to accumulate heat during colder months.
Cross-ventilation: Ensuring natural ventilation, particularly in the summer months, to promote energy efficiency.