Rex Center

© Claudio Troncoso – Felipe Undurraga

© Claudio Troncoso – Felipe Undurraga

Architects: Carlos Correa S. – Luis Rojas V
Collaborators: Carolina Herrera – Miguel Estay - Cristóbal Correa E
Owner: Rentas Andalucía S.A.
Location: Paseo Independencia 591 - Rancagua
General Contractor: Icafal
Structural Engineering: Gastón Klein
Built Area: 14.000 mt2
Project Year: 2008-2009
Photographs: Claudio Troncoso – Felipe Undurraga.

The Building is located in the historical center of Rancagua's city, where punctual examples of rural Chilean architecture remain.

It is on one of the cross axes that define the historical center of the city. New buildings have interfered without a certain order, with the exception of the corner, by means of a shamfer corner  and the incorporation of a pillar as support. It is required a group of constant building up to 20 meters of height. And there is the possibility of incorporating isolated building over it.

Implementing the property real estate development, with which the central sector counts and specially in the heart of this metropolis. The REX CENTER Building is located in a site that use to house the former Rex Cinema and attached Shopping Centers from the 40 and the 60´s respectively. These, already in plain deterioration, both material and commercial, offer Department Store commerce, minor trade, offices and lounge of events, developed in 7 floors(flats) of different heights, (5m., I trade and 3.5m., offices).

Due to the fact that the site has its narrowest side towards the most important traffic area,(Independence pedestrian), the building goes out in the search of this situation, being opened in the corner and taking advantage of the regulation of the prop in the vertex of the crossing of Independence Avenue and Astorga Street. The longest front of the Building is developed in the latter street that is affluent to the mentioned pedestrian public walking.

The shape is developed as a glazed Body that is wrapped by a peripheral opaque rind, which works as support to the opacity that the Department Store needs. This opaque volume, which its longest front appears to Astorga Street, that has a limited(small) profile, does not allow a very wide perspective as a frontal presentation, that´s why the decision to see it foreshortened was taken. As a way of softening their formal weight; a decomposed pattern of a Herd of pixelated Horses was chosen, so that, from the Corner of the building it is possible to join the parts together in order to show the full image achieving an order, which does not intent to turn clearly into the original image, but to create a panoramic suggestive one instead, that allowes the observer to discover images.