Construction of the meaning of a barrio house - The case of a Caracas barrio

This article presents findings of a research carried out in a barrio of Caracas, which aimed at determining the meaning assigned to the houses by their inhabitants. In-depth interviews were conducted with male and female members of the barrio. Results show that the dwelling unit is not conceived separately from its surroundings and neighbors, and its meanings have varied along its transformation from a precarious shack into a consolidated brick house. Three stages corresponding to the building process were identified-initial construction, improvement, and consolidation-each corresponding to the conceptualization of the dwelling as rancho, house, and home, respectively. In addition, the transformation of houses-as a process parallel to both the consolidation of the barrio and the development of a sense of community among its members-grants the house special environmental, psychological, and social meanings and creates great concern in regard to the politics aimed at eradicating rancho neighborhoods.