Mejoramiento habitacional en las areas urbanas centrales de America Latina. Del combate de tugurios a la rehabilitación habitacional progresiva

Abstract

This article shows a wide range of housing experiences in the old central urban areas, which has been done in different Latin American cities in the recent years, stressing their innovations and limits. The paper analyzes the central urban areas problems, territories that have undergone tertiary activities expansion; housing and population lost; physical and social deterioration; simultaneously underwent a social and urban segregation process as well as a selective cultural heritage restoration process. The article presents a group of housing projects and initiatives, which started in the mid 80's in different Latin America Cities, that have tried to address slums problems; inhabitants quality life improvements; preserving the urban and architectural heritage; and in some cases reverting the central areas depopulation tendencies and urban sprawl in the cities' periphery. The ones discuss: 1. Pilot housing rehabilitation projects, 2. Some pioneering housing projects, 3. Densification housing projects, 4. Emergent housing projects, and 5. housing recuperation projects. Concluding with some thoughts about advances and challenges involved in the central areas housing problems in the region.