Design and architecture competition promotes new ways of preserving wooden heritage in Chiloé

Wood as the central element of Chiloé's cultural and architectural identity is the focus of a competition that received 26 proposals in its second edition, seeking to promote new solutions for conserving heritage buildings and rescuing the traditional knowledge associated with this material.

The initiative, organized by the Chiloé Heritage Churches Foundation, is part of the Ensambla Chiloé 2026 Creative Wood Festival and includes two categories: Architecture and Design. The first focuses on projects for the intervention and recovery of heritage buildings constructed in wood, while the second seeks to promote the creation of objects and artifacts that integrate traditional techniques, innovation, and sustainability criteria.

One of the purposes of the call is to broaden recognition of wood-related crafts, beyond church construction, also incorporating the work of carpenters, designers, and makers of furniture and other elements present in the archipelago's heritage.

Vicente Canales, the architect in charge of community architecture projects at the Foundation, highlighted the importance of making these activities and their knowledge visible. He also noted that the challenge lies in developing new conservation proposals in the face of the increasingly limited availability of native woods and the environmental demands associated with the protection of built heritage.

The 26 initiatives will be evaluated by an interdisciplinary jury, which will consider aspects such as technological innovation, heritage intervention criteria, functionality, and the recovery of traditional knowledge. In both categories, the aim will be to recognize proposals that contribute new perspectives to the use of wood and its preservation.

The selected projects will be exhibited starting November 19 in the Exhibition Hall of the Museum of the Churches of Chiloé, in Ancud, a day on which the top three places in each category will also be awarded. The winning initiatives will also be able to present their work at the International Seminar on Innovation and Ethical Challenges in the Conservation of Wooden Built Heritage.

The Ensambla Chiloé 2026 festival will take place from November 19 to 21 in Ancud, with activities aimed at promoting wood culture, the exchange of experiences, and the transmission of traditional crafts that are part of the archipelago's identity.