Van Rysselberghe learned about engineering and architecture by studying texts in his father's library and later became an architect, although he never formally studied architecture. His works were tested by the 1939 Chillán earthquake, of 8.3 degrees, which hit Concepción with force, leaving almost 90% of the houses in the city destroyed. However, none of the ones he had built collapsed, so later, for reconstruction, many sought his services. He later went to work at the Directorate of Works of the municipality. At the same time, he made his fortune with businesses related to construction: he created a machine that allowed aggregates to be removed from the banks of the Biobío even during the rainy season, which made him the only one able to supply the different construction companies with sand all year round, quickly monopolizing the entire market in the area; he also developed a machine to clean the charcoal thrown away by the Lota miners, material that he got for free or at a very low cost.Francisco Torrealba. «El clan Van Rysselberghe», El Mercurio, 09 April 2011; retrieved 8 January 2017
