In the first half of the 20th century, masses of people moved from the decaying rural sector to V... more In the first half of the 20th century, masses of people moved from the decaying rural sector to Venezuelan cities in search of opportunities amid increasing revenues from the oil industry, which created greater demand for affordable housing. As the existing housing supply was deficient, they occupied Caracas’ vacant lands on slopes and green areas and built ranchos (hovels) on uncontrolled barrios (informal settlements). By 1950, an estimated 50,000 ranchos lined the hills of Caracas. As part of the so called “Batalla contra el Rancho”, (Battle against hovels), the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez implemented a housing plan that used high-rise superbloques as the emblematic building type. From 1951 to 1958, the government built 97 superbloques with 17,934 apartments. Superbloques started to decay as soon as the dictatorship collapsed. In the last 60 years, the conditions affecting residents have changed in many ways and since the replacement of the superbloques is not conceivabl...
In the first half of the 20th century, masses of people moved from the decaying rural sector to V... more In the first half of the 20th century, masses of people moved from the decaying rural sector to Venezuelan cities in search of opportunities amid increasing revenues from the oil industry, which created greater demand for affordable housing. As the existing housing supply was deficient, they occupied Caracas’ vacant lands on slopes and green areas and built ranchos (hovels) on uncontrolled barrios (informal settlements). By 1950, an estimated 50,000 ranchos lined the hills of Caracas. As part of the so called “Batalla contra el Rancho”, (Battle against hovels), the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez implemented a housing plan that used high-rise superbloques as the emblematic building type. From 1951 to 1958, the government built 97 superbloques with 17,934 apartments. Superbloques started to decay as soon as the dictatorship collapsed. In the last 60 years, the conditions affecting residents have changed in many ways and since the replacement of the superbloques is not conceivabl...
Uploads
Papers by Roberto Castillo Melo