Bartlett Research Conversations: Isabelle Donetch

Imagining the River: Unveiling Urban Identity through Santiago’s Fluvial Imaginaries

Speaker: Isabelle Donetch 
Supervisors: Professor Christoph Lindner and Professor Tim Waterman 
Guest panellist: Dr Stamatis Zografos, The Bartlett School of Architecture 

Abstract

This research explores the intricate relationship between the city of Santiago de Chile and its river, the Mapocho, examining the city’s evolving identity through the lens of fluvial imaginaries. Drawing on geocritical theory, the study unveils the layers of symbolic meaning embedded in the river’s history, emphasizing its role as a palimpsest that reflects societal tensions, aspirations, and power dynamics. From the early colonial struggles to control the untamed river to contemporary ecological rehabilitation efforts, the Mapocho emerges as a complex entity entwined with Santiago’s collective consciousness.

Situated in the broader context of urban history and climate crisis, this research not only advances scholarly understanding but also offers practical implications for contemporary urban studies. By unravelling the layers of the Mapocho, the study provides a valuable perspective for cities worldwide, shedding light on the entangled relationships between rivers and their cities while challenging prevailing narratives influenced by Eurocentric ideologies on the urban landscapes of Latin America.

About The Bartlett Research Conversations

The Bartlett School of Architecture’s Research Conversations seminars comprise work-in-progress and upgrade presentations by students undertaking the Architectural Design MPhil/PhD and Architectural and Urban History and Theory MPhil/PhD. All current UCL staff and students are welcome to attend.

Held regularly throughout the academic year, the seminars are attended by the Programme Directors, Professor Sophia Psarra and Dr Nina Vollenbröker; PhD Coordinators, Dr Stamatis Zografos and Dr Stelios Giamarelos; and other PhD supervisors.

Image: Mapocho river and the city of Santiago. Photo by Isabelle Donetch