INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION PROJECT IN CAMAGÜEY
Main researcher Santiago Quesada-García
CAMAGÜEY (CUBA)
January – December 2025
PROJECT SUMMARY
The International Project ‘Cognitive Ageing and Health in the World Heritage Centre of Camagüey (Cuba): Diagnosis, Characterisation, and Mapping of Buildings with Potential for Care Facilities for a Vulnerable Population in the Historic Site‘ (ref. AYP/10/25) addresses the relationship between architecture and health from an innovative perspective, applying research to social well-being and healthy ageing. This cooperation project aims to analyse and evaluate the circumstances affecting the processes of ageing and gentrification in the historic centre of Camagüey (UNESCO World Heritage Site) to promote in this area care facilities intended for a vulnerable, ageing population, and, in many cases, affected by cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease.
This initiative is led by the University of Seville (Spain) together with the University of Camagüey (Cuba) and has the cooperation of the International University of Andalusia (UNIA), the Office of the Historian of the City of Camagüey, and the University of Medical Sciences of this Cuban province. The active participation in the project of students from UC, US, and researchers from different universities, as well as professionals in heritage and neuropsychology, has consolidated an international academic network around health, architecture, and urban sustainability.
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Among the activities held, the project includes meetings between the target population and university students, specialists, and technicians from the involved institutions. The expected results aim to improve the quality of life for the elderly population who live in historical and heritage spaces. For this purpose, the project has been divided into four fundamental stages: postgraduate course, summer course, diploma course, and international conference.
In this last stage, the results of the project were presented, among which stands out the publication of the book “Diagnosis, characterisation, and mapping of buildings for people with cognitive impairment in the World Heritage Site of Camagüey, Cuba“..
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To analyse, identify, and evaluate the circumstances that affect the processes of ageing and gentrification in the Historic Centre of Camagüey to determine the care facilities intended for the vulnerable elderly population.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE
To diagnose, characterise, and map the necessary care facilities for the elderly population with cognitive impairment and dementia living in the World Heritage Site of Camagüey (Cuba), from the perspective of healthy architecture aimed at improving people’s quality of life.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
POSTGRADUATE COURSE
July 10 and 11, 2025
SUMMER COURSE
August 18 to 29, 2025
DIPLOMA COURSE
October 13 to 24, 2025
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP
November 10, 2025
RESULTS
- Publication of the book: Diagnóstico, caracterización y cartografía de edificios para personas con deterioro cognitivo en la zona Patrimonio Mundial de Camagüey: Resultados del Proyecto de Cooperación Internacional.
(Diagnosis, characterisation, and mapping of buildings for people with cognitive impairment in the World Heritage Site of Camagüey, Cuba: Results of the International Cooperation Project). Download
- Panels (results of the summer course with analysis of 10 buildings)
- Selection of three buildings for the day centre project
- Design and projects (Ten project proposals in three buildings)
EXHIBITION
ORGANISING ENTITIES
PARTICIPANTS
International University of Andalusia
Office of the Historian of Camagüey
Centre for Conservation Studies and Development of Constructions (CECODEC)
University of Medical Sciences of Camagüey “Carlos Juan Finlay”
Faculty of Construction at the University of Camagüey
Honorary Chair Eliana María Cárdenas Sánchez of CECODEC