Architect sanctioned following Bodegas San Francisco investigation

The Ethics Tribunal of the Colegio de Arquitectos has issued a ruling against architect Enrique Barba regarding the Bodegas San Francisco (BSF) facilities in Pudahuel. Barba served as the independent project reviewer for the Américo Vespucio Logistics Center, where a major fire occurred on February 20, 2024.

The ruling follows a formal accusation by entrepreneur Paula Behnke. The Tribunal imposed a public censure on Barba, prohibited him from holding leadership positions within the Colegio de Arquitectos for two years, and suspended his status as a collegiate architect for the same period.

Investigations revealed discrepancies in the documentation provided for the site. Specifically, the Tribunal found that a required ‘Fuel Load Study’ (Estudio de Carga Combustible) mentioned in the records was missing from the municipal files. Instead, the existing documentation was based on assumptions regarding the types of goods to be stored in the warehouses, which are rented to third parties.