Morpho-Typological Characterization of the Public Working Class Neighborhoods in The city of Guayaquil (1937-1948)

Abstract

The fundamental objective of the research is to describe and characterize the working class neighborhoods produced by public institutions in the city of Guayaquil between 1937, the year in which the Social Security Fund began its action, and 1948, when in Ecuador the period of economic crisis and political and there is a change in the urbanization model towards the citadel. These neighborhoods represent the origins of modern architecture and urban planning in Guayaquil because they represent a revolution in urban forms and building types in relation to the transition spaces between the street and the house. The projects tackle the problem of housing considering new hygiene standards, optimizing the housing cell, standardizing construction systems and incorporating services for community use at the neighborhood level. The research is qualitative and focuses on the relationship between spatial organization and social practices and incorporates certain quantitative values that allow a comparative analysis based on common variables. The study is approached with the analytical-synthetic method that consists of the qualification and characterization of the determining features of each case, from its historical and geographical context to an analysis at different scales: the urban complex, the group of dwellings and the types of dwelling. The analyzed housing architecture radically transforms the culture of living in Guayaquil society and the aim of this research is to value these neighborhoods as cultural heritage.