Construction features of the historical architecture in the sea port city of Valparaiso: architect E.O.F. Harrington’s brick masonry buildings

Abstract

This research aims to contribute to the field of construction history in Chile, specifically in the seaport city of Valparaiso, in the period between the
late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which was a time of great economic and urban development. The work of Esteban Orlando
Harrington—a renowned Chilean engineer and architect who designed more than 20 buildings (mostly masonry structures) in the Valparaiso port—
was studied. This type of construction is analyzed according to the materials, building systems, and structural criteria used. A review is carried out
on historic information and documents, and an inspection of five buildings with the goal of understanding how they were constructively conceived
is done. Here the most significant case is presented for its architectural, historical, and structural characteristics and values: the former Royal Hotel.
The results of this research reveal aspects of Valparaiso’s construction history through the work of a professional who adapted foreign techniques
to local conditions, with results that are valued for their architectural quality and good seismic behavior.