UNPHU provides a forum for the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, its planning and governance

Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU), and its Dean of Architecture and Art, held the forum “The Colonial City of Santo Domingo, its planning and governance”, in charge of the Architect Eugenio Pérez Montas of the Center for High Humanistic and Spanish Language Studies, founding professor and active senior member of FUDPHU, and Dr. Juan Lladó.

The university organized this meeting with that title, because the colonial city has serious organizational problems. 

The words of welcome were addressed by Architect Raúl de Moya, president of FUDPHU, who offered some reflections on the issue and indicated that the great transformations that have occurred in major emblematic cities have been the result of struggles for the management and governance of these urban centers. The topic of planning and governance is a historical topic on modernity in matters of urban development and took as an example the case of the city of Barcelona. Similarly, he indicated that the university and FUDPHU make their scenarios available to all interested actors with the strength that gives it to be the first firstborn institution in the vision of heritage helping to agree to the strength and seek results, without political or economic interests; with the sole purpose of educate and contributing to society.

The introduction was in charge of the Architect Omar Rancier, dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Art, and Miguel Guerrero, journalist and writer. Present at the forum was the rector of the university, Architect Miguel Fiallo Calderón

During the introduction of the event the Architect Omar Rancier said that the Colonial City, “in urban and historical terms, is the most important asset of the Dominican capital. And although a rescue process began in the 1970s, it has not been able to correctly implement any of the master plans that have been formulated since the beginning of that rescue and restoration process, with the so-called Esso Plan of 1967.”

To date, at least three master plans have been formulated for the historic center: the Cradle of America Plan of the 1980s, the Lombardi Plan of the first decade of this century “and the same revised and promulgated plan, which currently governs the area. He indicated that, with the forum, they seek to find some solutions to the problems that the Colonial City has, and reach a well-justified consensus.

During the lecturer’s participation, Architect Eugenio Pérez Montas spoke about a series of activities that have been carried out, and made a chronology of the interventions and projects that have been developed in the historic center since the program began, approximately 60 years ago. He spoke about the plan that was launched in 1970, called Plan for the consolidation and setting of the historical monuments of Santo Domingo and its surroundings. This project had the virtue of territorial expansion and overflowing throughout the region, among other projects. He also spoke about the conflicts, interests, decrees, symposia, origins and challenges that have been emerging around the Colonial City of Santo Domingo.

Different panelists participated in the forum, dictating their views on the issue at hand. These were the Architect Juan Mubarak, Ministry of Culture, National Bureau of Monumental Heritage; Architect Diana Martínez, Director of Cultural Heritage and Historic Center, City Council of the Dominican Republic, Amín Abel, Ministry of Tourism, Integral Program of Tourism and Urban Development of the Colonial City; Engineer Amaury Cestari, President of ICOMOS Dominicano; Architect Cristóbal Valdez, from Cristóbal Valdez and Associates; and Raquel Casares, Association of Owners and Residents of the Colonial City (APRECC).

The event took place in the Max Henríquez Ureña Hall, in building IV, and was broadcast on the UNPHU YouTube channel. You can see it at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DE_Zs1N9PA

Different personalities from various institutions of the country were present: Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Housing, INCE. Architect Francisco Medina, O&M. Arqchitect Rosy Abinader, PUCMM Santiago. Architect Rosemary Franquiz, PUCM Santo Domingo. Architect Gabriel Ardilla, USDA. Architect Alexis Lopez, UCATECI. Architect Maritza Estrella, CEU. Architect Francesco Gravina, UCNE. Architect Jean Oleaga, UNIBE. Architect Jesús D’Alessandro, UTESA. Architect Virgil Veras, ASONAHORES. Mr. Rafael Blanco Tejeda. President, ACOPROVI. Architect Jorge Montalvo. President CODIA, Arata. Orly Lopez, President of the Nucleus of Architecture, 

SARD! Architect Adis Ozuna, President, IDB, Union of CCSD Neighborhood Boards, Association of Colonial City Owners and Residents (APRECC).