Housing and development in Latin America: the Inter American Housing and Planning Center (CINVA) as a transnational zone

Abstract

This project proposes to study the debate on social housing in Latin America, based on the Inter American Housing and Planning Center - CINVA, an institution that was organized under the Technical Cooperation Program of the Organization of American States - OAS, in partnership with the Colombian government and the National University of Colombia, and operated between 1952 and 1972 in Bogotá. The courses and projects promoted by CINVA will be investigated, as well as the involvement of intellectuals and technicians from the participating countries. As a specific cut, the interval between 1958 and 1963 is adopted, when the agency expanded its activities through courses and scholarships, including the participation of Brazilian agents and institutions. During this period, transit and dialogue between Latin American agents linked to the institution also intensified. Although the starting point is the area of architecture and urbanism, recognizing the nature of the research object itself, methodological contributions from different disciplines should be mobilized, with emphasis on social history and the transnational perspective. The object, as well as the approach adopted, has a broad and transversal character, which can help to overcome more current analyses, generally limited to disciplines and national borders. The suggested emphasis still tends to support renewed approaches to housing and planning policies that consider interdisciplinarity and dialogue between Latin American countries. (AU)