PLAZA NUNOA

PHOTO

The European-styled municipal building demonstrates the symbolic and actual importance of Plaza Nuñoa to the community of Nuñoa, which was established by presidential decree in 1891. The columns located at the front of the building are representative of this European influence in Nuñoa. The Plaza has become a historical landmark for Nuñoa, and a plaque commemorates the role of Jose Manuel Irrarazaval in the founding of Nuñoa. Besides being the center of the municipal government, the Plaza has long been a gathering spot for neighbors, and the numerous benches, the fountain, and abundance of trees make the Plaza an ideal venue for relaxation and entertainment.

SKETCH

(Kevin Boldt) (Jenilee Deal) (Leticia Rodriguez)

It is a lovely, sunny Sunday afternoon as Kevin and I are sitting on a bench, sketching the municipal building with the fountain in front of it and the many trees and flowers surrounding it. Although there were many people around, including in front of the building as we sketched, we unintentionally left them out of our sketches. Our focus was completely on the Plaza itself. In Letty’s sketch, the word’s Nuñoa 2002 stand out at the top of the building, and in both Kevin and Letty’s sketches, you can see the Chilean and Nuñoa flags waving in the wind. In Jenilee’s sketch, she did a slightly different view of the plaza but sketching it from the top (helicopter view). Instead of concentrating on the municipal building, she instead tried to encompass the wide spectrum of the beautiful plaza.

FORMAL SYMBOLIC MODEL

Function	Form	Behavior
Municipality	Lively cafes facing plaza	Relaxed atmosphere
Historical landmark	Place of commerce and entertainment	Accessible
Gathering space of community	Excessive greenery	Well-maintained with little desecration
Aesthetically pleasing	Benches	Municipal significance known to locals
Outdoor	Water fountain	Attracts diverse crowd

TOUR GUIDE OVERVIEW

• Plaza Nuñoa has long been the center of activities for the neighborhood of Nuñoa.
• In 1891, the municipality of Nuñoa was created by Presidential decree
• Shortly thereafter, the Plaza was built as a center for the municipal government (marked by the grand municipal building overlooking the Plaza) and for the residents of Nuñoa to congregate.
• It is located along the most important street in Nuñoa, Avenida Irarrazaval.

PERSONAL VIGNETTE

When we first arrived to Plaza Nuñoa, we asked a couple who was sitting on a bench if they knew what the building represented, and they immediately replied that it was the municipality building for Nuñoa. As we continued walking, two teenagers stopped us and asked us where we were from. Then they invited us to a pub across the street for a band performance. After exploring both ends of the plaza, we ate at a cafe across the street. And although there were many micros passing by, we decided to go with the more sure system of a taxi-ride home.

THEORETICAL INTERPRETATION

Patterns seen at Plaza Nuñoa

20. Mini-buses

• Alexander’s Theory: Public transportation must be able to take people from any point to any other point within the metropolitan area.
• Pattern Applied to Plaza Nuñoa: “La Micro” allows an active and diverse environment, even without a nearby metro-stop.

33. Night life

• Alexander’s Theory: If evening activities such as movies, cafes, ice cream parlors, gas stations, and bars are scattered throughout the community, each one by itself cannot generate enough attraction.
• Pattern Applied to Plaza Nuñoa: Plaza Nuñoa consists of the park, cafes, bars, pubs, a theater, and local vendors, which work together create its desirable and popular night life.

Patterns not seen at Plaza Nuñoa

60. Accessible green

• Alexander’s Theory: People need green open places to go to; when they are close they use them. But if the greens are more than three minutes away, the distance overwhelms the need.
• Pattern Not Applicable to Plaza Nuñoa: For many years, Plaza Nuñoa has been a focal point of the community even though the majority of its residents live more than three minutes away.