Brisas del Maipo, was a social housing project developed near Santiago between 2010 and 2013.

The project included 44 units to cover the housing needs in the area, considering common spaces for recreation and community integration. The project includes a design according to the environment and accessibility conditions for the resident families.

Set of 44 subsidy homes (DS – 40) in the commune of San José de Maipo. The project was developed in 2009 by CHL and executed by Constructora PB Ltda. The project includes green areas, a Baby soccer field and playgrounds.

The design concept is based on a maximization of space, interior and exterior. The construction is brick on the first floor and wooden partition on the second floor. The orientation of the houses is east – west, to ensure early lighting in the morning and sunlight in the afternoon. The wall to the east is massive and with few openings, while to the west, there are large windows for maximum lighting.

In May 2013, 44 families finally occupy their new homes designed by each family with three bedrooms, 60m2 per house, with access to shared public space and a playground.

Until now, all families lived in wooden buildings on the banks of the Maipo River, without water, electricity or thermal insulation. In winter, temperatures drop below -5º C having only a small stove for cooking and heating at the same time. In addition, they all lived in constant fear of being expelled from their homes.

In 2003, one of the occupants, Anita Duque, organized a group of 45 families to form a housing committee to apply as a group for the housing subsidy of the Ministry of Housing. The government subsidy offered for this project was UF 603.- (approx. US $ 21,000.-).

Anita, president of the cooperative, currently lives with her son (14) and daughter (21) in a house next to the entrance of the enclosure. Each member of the family has their own room and all of them enjoy the comfort of electricity, water and heating in winter. Like many of the families who live here, Anita's family has added their own touches to their home, laying tiles and painting the exterior walls.

Other community members have begun placing closures, extensions and even extensions in the garden.