Estrategias urbano arquitectónicas para recuperar el uso residencial en el centro histórico de Cuenca

Abstract

Historic centers are the oldest and most complex sites in a city that have undergone various economic, social, cultural and urban changes. They contain a series of symbols and architecture that reflect the history and identity of the people, constituting areas of great value for the city and its population. This study is focused on the first order area of the historic center of Cuenca, which is one of the most representative sites of the city and the country because it is the core of religious, political, economic and administrative power and is considered Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Over the years, the resident population has been affected by aspects such as the massive use of the car, the increase of land costs and the growth of tertiary activities, which have caused the native population to leave this area and move towards the periphery of the city, leading to the loss of resident population. As a response to this phenomenon, it is necessary to propose strategies that allow the recovery of residential use in the historic center of Cuenca, considering the current problems and the main reasons for not living in this area, with the purpose of improving the living conditions of residents and promoting the recovery of residential use. In this context, this work addresses conceptual aspects that allow to understand the importance of historical centers and residential function, as well as experiences in other Latin American cities aimed to confront the loss of housing use in their centralities. Through the analysis of the current situation in the study area, a series of strategies are proposed that seek to stop and reverse the depopulation process of the historic center of Cuenca in order to recover its vitality.