Activist Eco-Tourism Edit
Chilean Mountaintop Experience Revitalizes Lives of Rural Residents

In an area of Chile devastated by volcanic eruption and an ensuing avalanche, Architect Rodrigo Sheward Giordano from The School of Architecture at the University Of Talca, Chile has designed and managed the construction of Pinohuacho Observation Deck.

The project was built from indigenous materials and is designed to restore a relationship with the land after a volcano devastated areas of it. In addition, the deck functions as recreational and a recovery focal point for the local community.

Local residents hope that sustainable eco-conscious tourism will transition their traditional subsistence farming and timber harvesting economy to one in which tourism dollars allow them to maintain their modest way of life.

The observation point allows horseback riders and hikers to take in the scenery including views of the Villarrica volcano to the Calafquén and Panguipulli lakes. By educating the visiting public about the forest canopy, it also offers a view to a sustainable way of life for the planet and a bright future for the local community.