http://dx.doi.org/10.12795/rea.2020.i39.03

Preservation Strategies of the Cultural Heritage of the Historical Centers of Puebla, Havana and Quito

Norma Leticia Ramírez-Rosete

normaleticia.ramirez@correo.buap.mx https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3268-8757
Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, México 72000
Ciudad Universitaria, Blvd. Valsequillo s/n, 72570, Puebla, México.

Mª Jesús González-González

mjgong@unileon.es https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3639-3446

Universidad de León, España

Avenida de la Universidad, 24007 León, España

José Alejandro Reyes-Granados

alexco@hotmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3277-5818

Universidad de Valladolid, España

Prado de la Magdalena, s/n, 47011 Valladolid, España

Simón Sánchez-Moral et al.

KEYWORDS

Historical Centers

Cultural Heritage

Heritage Conservation

This research is based on a descriptive methodology focused in the main urban-architectural typological characteristics of the historic cities of Puebla, Havana and Quito, emphasizing current legislation and conservation policies for their protection, this investigation will be an analytical and descriptive process the based on the observation and analysis of the information obtained under a systemic approach. In this sense, a cartographic revision has been used, as well as the official documents that correspond to plans and projects to reflect on the urban-architectural historical evolution of these settlements. In the past, historical centers constituted the dimension of cities, which were considered as spaces for the development of political, economic, social, religious and cultural activities of society, as well as being a point of population concentration due to the location of public services. The historical centers contain a large part of the history, this because they witness the social and physical changes, and they also faced various crises that were produced for this changes, these crises have left traces that are reflected in their progressive abandonment, or that leads to the deterioration of these areas, in addition to this the historical centers suffer an important unpopulate process, this phenomenon has been studied for more than two decades in Europe and America, this research works carried out so far are characterized to approach this problem from a focus of the loss of inhabitants and not of the permanence of they who still remain, the diagnosis that these investigations show are concentrated in quantitative aspects and political-administrative justifications and do not reflect the perception that residents have of their neighborhood as well as the explanation of why they remain in e The historic center, which could be justified especially in the proximity and ownership of housing. In this way, not only the reasons will be analyzed, but also the dimensions and repercussions of the abandonment and decentralization of the historic centers, to understand what aspects are linked to this problem and thus have a greater understanding of it.

This article will analyze the concept of the historic center, the mechanisms and results identified in Latin American interventions, and the cases of Quito, Havana and Puebla, to finally outline recommendations focused on the management of these main sectors of cities, so the aspect should be considered heritage and historical centers should be understood as a central part of the city that should not be left out of social transformations and that this must be adapted urban and architecturally to the modernity of the urban centers, so modifications to this should not be rejected . This acceptance of incorporating new architecture respectful of its context, will allow it to be a living center of function and society and will prevent this key sector of the city from becoming a museum. Therefore, this research has raised the need to initiate intervention processes that incorporate new forms of management, with the aim to adapting them to the new economic, cultural and social demands.

In the case of the historical centers of Europe, for 30 years they have managed to rehabilitate a large part of their central neighborhoods even against intervention policies, however, the governments in Latin America have been repeating the experience of the countries of Europe in times of economic expansion and rapid population displacements, such as the post-war period, so Latin American historical centers have great differences if we compare them with Europeans this is due to their social, physical, cultural and even history structure from each of them. In the case of the Latin American countries, some of the crises they faced gave rise to major changes that increased international trade, industrialization and construction of railway lines in the 19th century, as well as the demand for goods and services giving way to expansion of the city and thus the change of land use was present so that the great demand of commercial premises led to a great structural change in the image of these an example of them was the roofing of the inner courtyards reducing space available for housing that is complemented in the periphery, thus unleashing the concern for the conservation and protection of historic centers which has been a crucial issue for urban policies in Latin America. Therefore, in this comparative study of the preservation strategies of the cultural heritage in the historic centers of Old Havana in Cuba, the City of Puebla de Mexico and the historic center of Quito, Ecuador, the actions aimed to protection with the plans of each city as well as the interventions that each has had throughout its history from its foundation to the present. Currently, the problems faced by the historical centers of Latin America are the growing deterioration caused by the same nature and by economic-social situations that act in the process of modernization and the tourist promotion of the city, in addition to leading to degradation of living conditions due to the lack of basic services and provision of equipment for the most vulnerable social strata including historic neighborhoods.

On the other perspective, the centers may be centers of attraction for the groups that promote transformations, for developer investors, who find the business in the intervention of infrastructure or in the recovery of the built heritage, this is due to their complex and diversified political functions. administrative, cultural, tourism, etc., which continue to maintain a certain homogeneity In this sense, we are faced with processes of urban requalification, such processes, whose propagation coincided with the modality of territorial intervention known as strategic planning, involved in the restructuring of degraded areas through the reordering of their spaces, images and population, guiding all their efforts in the recovery of public space. However, some interventions endanger the conservation and preservation of their tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Therefore, this research focuses on analyzing and comparing regulatory plans and planning tools aimed at both the commercialization and rehabilitation of the cultural identity of these New Spain cities that currently play a relevant role as references of the cultural heritage of the cities of Humanity throughout the world. Therefore, it is of great importance to raise awareness regarding the regulation that promotes the development and conservation of the historic centers of our historic cities. Therefore, the management of historical centers must has de capacity to evolve, innovate and adapt their instruments and tools in favor of responding to new economic, social, functional and physical challenges every day poses the city, and its society. From this perspective, there should exist agreement or consensus between specialists and academics, on interventions aimed at ensuring an integral development (social, economic, physical-functional, architectural, environmental and cultural) of these historic urban centers or landscapes. There is a main need to definite the Historical Centers with a city plan, and not delimit them by the areas where most historical monuments are concentrated. As mentioned before, the Historic Center is displaced by the commercial plaza as a new social and commercial space, this coupled with the problems presented above show the lack of interest in historical memory, this trend will help to mark a paradigm shift in the protection of the Historic Center by not considering it as a monument but as a social space and right to the city, in terms of tourism, we should not consider it as the ultimate end of the rescue of the Historic Center, but rather, as a product derived from the use for its own inhabitants, otherwise it would fall only to make up the historic center thus creating a scenery for the visitor, so the Historic Center should be seen as part of the city, and the city is for its citizens, said otherwise the historical center is not only about monumental and beautiful buildings, rather it is a place where diverse and important processes are developed Some social phenomena that reflect the culture and conditions of the city. Due to the aforementioned issues, the aspirations of the residents are overshadowed, but it should not be forgotten that at the end of a demonstration or an event, those who know and live the space are its inhabitants, thus ensuring better conditions in the city center It not only benefits the inhabitants, but also the tourists, the service providers, and all the users of the space.