The Mapocho Vivo Foundation was formally established in 2020 on the initiative of Joaquín Moure, an agricultural technician and muralist, who since 2019 had been captivated by the flora and fauna he found in the river when everyone else believed it to be lifeless, waste-filled water. Today, the project has established itself as an organization that maintains cleanliness, protects, and plans the future of the 110-kilometer biological corridor spanning 16 municipalities of Santiago de Chile, operating under the understanding that architecture must embrace natural ecosystems to integrate them into urban systems.
One of the project's goals is to reconnect the city and its inhabitants with the river. To this end, they have launched a series of urban and social proposals and projects aimed at raising public awareness about this issue. Key among these is their collaborative work with local municipalities to designate the river as an urban wetland; the improvement of the trail and access points along the Vitacura stretch, in partnership with the Cosmos Foundation and the Municipality of Vitacura; and the preliminary design and rehabilitation project for the canalized section, also in collaboration with the Cosmos Foundation and Corredores Ecológicos de Chile.
