El desarrollo rural y la transformación del patrimonio arquitectónico tradicional. El caso de la aldea indígena Plan Grande Quehueche (Izabal, Guatemala)

Abstract

The rural development based on ecotourism is supported by the rich cultural and ecological values existing in the territory. Nevertheless, the economic development of the rural communities is used to induce a counterproductive transformation of the cultural values of these communities, basic element of this tourist modality. One of the cultural values affected by this phenomenon is the vernacular architecture. The objective of this paper is to analyze the causes and the initial process of transformation of the vernacular architecture of the small village Plan Grande Quehueche of the Department of Izabal in Guatemala. This process has affected the formal aspects of the inside house, building materials and traditional architectural typology. The paper finishes indicating the preventive measures and/or correctors that would be able to finish this phenomenon of vernacular architectural patrimony degradation.