Estrategias de conservación en edificaciones patrimoniales. El uso de suelo como agente de cambio. Caso barrio de Todos Santos

Abstract

The neighborhood of Todos Santos, one of the oldest in the city of Cuenca, is part of the first-order areas in the historical center of the city, hence part of the protected areas for heritage preservation. In recent years, the progressive change in land use has been evidenced in Todos Santos, and it has become a highly commercial and touristic area. Consequently, the restlessness has arisen regarding the incidence that the change in land use has upon the heritage buildings. The purpose of the present research is to determine the effects caused by the transformations of the land use in the heritage buildings of Todos Santos, in order to establish conservation strategies to decrease the negative impacts which cause losses to the buildings. The research was divided into four sections. The first consists of an approximation to the theoretical bases of heritage buildings, their assessment, land use, and social problems such as gentrification. The second section is an analysis of intermediate cities which have suffered changes in their land use just as has happened in Cuenca. The third section corresponds to the analysis of Todos Santos, and it covers the characteristics it has had since its foundation, the transformations of the land use in the last 40 years, and a case study where the major interventions on heritage buildings are determined. Finally, the last section establishes strategies to assist in the preservation of heritage buildings.