Housing Cooperatives Role in the Revitalization of Historical City Centers The case of Uruguay, El Salvador and Colombia

There is a growing interest in housing cooperatives as a means of providing affordable housing in a context of government withdrawal from the housing sector and the inability of the private sector to meet the needs of low-income people. In Latin America, housing cooperatives in Uruguay and El Salvador are not only key player in the provision of affordable housing to lower income families but also a powerful tool in the sustainable revitalization of deteriorated historical centers. In Colombia there is a growing interest in housing cooperatives, particularly in the historic centers of Cartagena and Bogotá currently undergoing rapid gentrification and spatial transformation. This project thus aims to examine the role of housing cooperatives in heritage preservation, drawing valuable insights from the experiences of Uruguay and El Salvador. For this a preliminary overview of a selected number of case studies in the three countries will be carried out through empirical research and a series of field visits addressing both the social and spatial dimensions of cooperative housing initiatives. In addition, a design-oriented seminar week in Colombia with students from both partner universities will be organized. Beyond a scholarly output this project aims to foster a dialogue with a wider community including, policy makers, students, housing activists, built environment professionals and beyond. For this we will present our findings in a publication as well as host a series of public talks and discussions with relevant stakeholders.