AOA R You come from a family that has architecture in its DNA. JV R There are nine architects in our family. Several of us graduated from Universidad Católica de Valparaíso. My father was from Santiago; he studied at the French Mission School on Alameda Street. My mother was from Quillota. They met at the School of Architecture during the time of Godofredo Iommi and Alberto Cruz. They enrolled in 1962, which meant they were part of the founding of Ritoque, where life, work, and study served as the guiding principle for students and professors to collabo- rate on building the Ciudad Abierta project, among many other stories. AOA R Tell us what architecture was like at your house when you were a child. JV R I grew up with my parents talking about architecture all day long. Patricia Rubio, my mother, was more involved in construction and focused on real estate. Together with my father—Joaquín—who designed the projects, they were always talking and discussing the subject. Meanwhile, Mario Espina was married to Ximena Rubio, my mother’s sister. Both of them were architects as well. When the coup d’état took place, both fam- ilies left for Venezuela, where my parents met Fernando Castillo Velasco and Francisco Lira and began working with them. They undertook large multifamily housing projects. I lived in Venezuela until I was 5 years old. We returned to Chile because my father wanted us to be here. AOA R Was it always clear back then that you were going to study architecture? JV R It was pretty obvious. Besides, back in the ’90s, people didn’t ques- tion their choice of major as much. What I really liked, though, was the design program. And at school, there was this unique system—a common year—where they decided for you which of the two majors to pursue. AOA R Do you have a teacher who has had a lasting impact on you? JV R I had Justo Uribe and Víctor Vuskovic in my freshman year. Then Patricio Cáraves and David Jolly, which was important, but we were still working on balustrades and details. In my freshman year, we focused mainly on observation and sketching; drawing some lines and starting to put together models. In my sophomore year, it was about more balus- trades and a bit more design, but still a long way from putting together a project. Fabio Cruz and Salvador Zahr in my third year were fundamental. The third year is a hands-on workshop: designing, understanding struc- ture, and structural analysis. That’s when we delved into RSE—Radical Structure of Extension—a concept developed by Fabio Cruz. What is the outline of your project… what is it based on… how does it emerge from observing the city? That’s where the framework for how to approach an architectural project and what it’s all about really takes shape. AOA R Next came the poetic trips. JV R Yes, they’re very important in school. I was lucky enough to go on an amazing series of poetic trips: my freshman year we went to Puelche, Argentina; my sophomore year, we traveled for four days to Chapada do Guimarães in Brazil; in my third year, to Cuenca, Ecuador; in my fourth year, we traveled along the railway network in northern Argentina with Juan Purcell; and in my fifth year, a trip to San Pedro de Atacama with Manuel Casanuevas—an adventure that opens up the world to you. AOA R What was your thesis project? JV R I worked on a project at the intersection of Valparaíso and Arlegui Streets. It was a building on the scale of Cerro Castillo—a series of zig- zagging paths that climbed up to the level of the street along the ridge of Cerro Castillo, connecting with it. It went well for me. I never stood out particularly, but I didn’t do badly either. When I was a junior, our studio was asked to restore José Vial’s cenotaph in Caleta Portales. It was a set of cubes built from cobblestones, which had deteriorated from wear and tear and had a poem by Godo engraved on its top surface. It was the
Interviewing Joaquín Velasco Rubio is, without a doubt, quite a challenge. Intense and passionate, he makes it clear within the first five minutes of conversation that he is fascinated by architecture, as well as all its processes and materials. From the moment he finds a plot of land with potential until the building is constructed and inhabited. It’s not easy to follow his train of thought, but it’s very interesting to listen to him speak, since he uses gestures and words that are like a magnet for attention. “It was absolutely crazy! Exquisite!” are just a few of the expressions he uses to describe certain projects and their unique characteristics. In some way, his education at Universidad Católica de Valparaíso shines through. And he makes sure to point that out. Today, he is considered one of the leading exponents of what is known as “urban acupuncture”—a sort of constructive philosophy that balances respect for heritage with modernity—in Valparaíso. A graduate of the PUCV with doctoral studies in “The Modern Form” at Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña (ETSAB), this architect has built a career span- ning nearly three decades focused on rehabilitation, restoration, and residential design. He also played an active role in “Plan Cerro,” a collective of design and architecture firms that sought to revitalize underutilized spaces in the Port City. Among his professional highlights is the renovation of Dinamarca 399 on Cerro Panteón, a project that transformed the former residence of the Danish consul into a vibrant coworking space. Also noteworthy is the Parque Magnolio housing project in Cerro Alegre and the “Destino Valparaíso” cultural center, a heritage restoration project housed in the former German School, which is home to the acclaimed Museum of Immigration, which won the prestigious Aporte Urbano Award (PAU) for the Best Heritage Intervention Project in 2025. The son of architects, he grew up surrounded by blueprints and constantly visiting construction sites. Architecture runs in his blood and is part of his daily life. To learn more about his career and background, we met with him at the Dinamarca 399 building and then toured some of his projects in the surrounding neighborhoods.
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