WE ARE

María Dolores Altamirano Fernández

An architect who graduated from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, she founded the Corporación Memoria Austral—based in the Aysén region of Chilean Patagonia—after several years of working in architecture and construction in Spain. Her goal is to ensure the preservation and conservation of memory across all aspects of cultural heritage in order to safeguard regional identity.

Her current work at the Corporation focuses on cultural management and fostering collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders, who join forces to preserve memory, share knowledge, and improve the quality of life in local communities in a sustainable manner. She currently works as a researcher at the Corporación Memoria Austral in Coyhaique, Aysén Region, Chile.

Constanza Pérez Lira

She holds a degree in architecture from the Catholic University of Chile and a master’s degree in art history from Adolfo Ibáñez University. After living in the Aysén region for five years, she founded the Memoria Austral Cultural Corporation, where she focuses her research on reflecting on and preserving the cultural heritage of the region.

Among her most notable projects are the creation of the Aysén Regional Museum’s photographic archive, the restoration of the Campamento Puerto Cristal Mining Monument, and the regional heritage architecture research workshop, Aysén Vernacular. She currently works as a researcher for the Memoria Austral Corporation from various locations throughout the region.

Irene Ruiz Pareras

A social and cultural anthropologist, she studied at the University of Barcelona and earned her degree from the National University of Distance Education in Spain. Based in the Aysén region, she works to raise awareness of the cultural heritage embedded in the communities she serves, conveying value and meaning through various projects aimed at preserving and promoting the tangible and intangible heritage of this area of Chile. She currently works as a researcher for the Corporación Memoria Austral, based in Coyhaique, Aysén region, Chile.