The modest heritage of the intermediate cities of Buenos Aires Province: User practices and reflections on the preservation of the "chorizo" houses of Tandil

Abstract

This article analyzes a type of modest heritage from the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century that is characteristic of Argentina: “chorizo” houses. Nowadays once-again preferred by users and the property market, these dwellings have left an urban mark that is still visible. Knowing, valuing and protecting these properties according to the needs of their inhabitants has become one of the main possible courses of action for their preservation.

To this end, research focused on the knowledge of the state of awareness of users of these dwellings in the intermediate city of Tandil, whose past has built up an outstanding corpus of modest heritage that survives within the current dynamic urban city. A primarily qualitative conceptualization of research was adopted, with the help of quantitative data centred on the historic and social urban-architectural variables, and their relationship. The general results obtained, which emphasize the modifications to these dwellings, have made it possible to reflect on their protection.