Casa Maldini Tornini, Historical Monument in Copiapó, Chile

Casa Maldini Tornini is a historical residence in Copiapó featuring a symmetrical facade with two protruding side sections and a central corridor supported by wooden pillars. The structure sits at O'Higgins 140 and displays architectural characteristics typical of early 20th century design.

Italian merchant Ambrosio Tornini built this residence in 1915, and it later became the property of his daughter Elvira when she married Luis Maldini Guggiana. The house carries both family names and represents the presence of Italian immigrants in the region during that era.

The house takes its name from the Maldini Tornini couple, who lived here until 1971. The University of Chile then bought it for the Extension Secretariat of its La Serena campus and later for the School of Culture and Artistic Diffusion; since 1987 it has belonged to the University of Atacama.

The restoration, led by architect Doménico Albasini under the SUBDERE Puesta en Valor del Patrimonio programme, cost about 1.6 billion pesos and was completed in November 2019. The building was handed to the Universidad de Atacama as its Centro de Extensión Cultural, but its inauguration was postponed by the social unrest from October 2019 and the 2020–2021 pandemic.

The main salon features a double-height ceiling lit by a colored glass skylight with art nouveau floral designs. This architectural detail is a rare example of European design influences brought to the region through Italian immigration.