In general, real estate developments in Chile begin with an economic evaluation, which is linked to a general design. If the results are favorable, they proceed to materialization. This way of doing things sacrifices valuable opportunities to develop projects that generate value beyond the economic aspect: what is the identity of the social environment where the project will be located, what are the attributes of the city that people wish to preserve and enhance? To be able to answer these questions, we need to delve into the history of the place, learn about the uses that existed in its beginnings, the way of life of its inhabitants and their customs. If we work with this approach, we will discover that all places have an essence, something special that distinguishes them and makes them different from the rest. This “essence” is fundamental for any development that we want to project, since it generates a common purpose that enhances the place from its origins and gives it a continuity towards the future. In order to move in this direction, at Inmobiliaria Las Salinas we are carrying out a process of social research by the international consulting firm Regénesis, which seeks to identify the constitutive patterns of the identity of Viña del Mar, in order to achieve consistency between the Master Plan of the new neighborhood we seek to develop and the “essence” of the city. Rather than focusing on the current problems of the places where we live, this approach offers an invitation to look at the “essence” and from there identify the potential. In this way, it is possible to work on urban solutions that are solidly anchored in the identity of the city, giving life to a project that is representative of what it means to be and live as a Viñamarino.
