Pereira Palace, Santiago, Chile

KALAM is recovering this emblematic palace located in the heart of Santiago, which will become the permanent headquarters of the Directorate of Libraries, Archives and Museums and the National Monuments Council. The floor plan of the Palace is unique in Chile: it is organized around a gallery in the shape of a Latin cross, with a glazed roof and a cast iron frame. It was declared a Historic Monument in 1981 and, despite the abandonment suffered in recent years, it still has important original remains of plaster decoration, as well as polychromy on the neoclassical facades: ochers, whites, grays and damasks, hidden under later paint coatings. The works include the consolidation and structural repair of the building, the recovery of its interiors and the restoration of the envelope, works in which a large group of professionals and specialized restorers are participating with the aim of adapting the building to the new use and returning this iconic palace to the citizens.