Dreams and spaces of a revolution / Architecture in Cuba 1959-2009

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Manuel Cuadra
• Subject Area: Architecture, Building and Construction History, Construction Research, Sustainable Building Technology
• Term: from 2014 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 257696447

Cuba has been in a special position since the Socialist revolution of 1959. In the quest to overcome neo-colonial dependency and establish a more just society, the country broke with the USA and created a partnership with the Soviet Union; the economic crisis at the end of the 1980s led to a state of suspense which began in the mid-1990s and still persists today. The urban and architectural developments which reflect all this are to be presented here in their complexity on the basis of an inventory which includes all phases of selected reference projects.The projects which are identified, and which are characteristic of the different facets of social life and the conditions of production, are to be documented in field work covering all regions of the country in a dialogue with protagonists and witnesses and studied in relation to their technical implementation and their social significance. The aim is to assign Cuban architecture to the appropriate periods and contexts in a national, Latin American and international framework. The conceptual and aesthetic core of each of the phases will be shown - the first phase of ideological and architectural euphoria after the revolution with its primary emphasis on cultural buildings; the second phase of industrialised educational and residential buildings in the 1970s; the third phase of the revision of the original goals in the 1980s; the fourth phase of crisis in the years following 1989 and the fifth phase, which still applies today, with various initiatives based on tourism - to identify what is the rule and what is the exception.In view of the opinions expressed in the specialist literature this involves more than just considering the buildings themselves - the oral history in relation to the buildings also plays a central role. It is important to include the memories of the specialists who experienced the projects either as direct participants in the planning process or as critical observers. The passage of time is taking its toll on the people and the materials, so this is an urgent task: many of the leading personalities who have been involved in the process since the 1960s are still alive - but possibly not for long. Protecting the archive material is also an urgent task: the drawings, photographs and publications which are still preserved must be digitised and conserved. To ensure access to the people, buildings and materials it will be crucial to draw on the support of our colleagues at the Universidad Central de Las Villas in Santa Clara, which has been a partner institution of the University of Kassel since 1989. Regional meetings in Cuba and a workshop in Germany will serve to promote the cooperation between colleagues. A presentation of the results in German and Spanish will help to reach Cuban, Latin American and international academics and architects and public bodies such as the monument conservation and urban planning authorities in the regions.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants