Gated Communities in Latin America Evolution of Gated

Gated Communities in Latin America

Evolution of Gated Communities Nile River Valley Defended against hunter- gatherer tribes

Mesopotamia Greek Cities

Romans Fortified land of royal and wealthy Early Church

New World Settlement Spanish in the Caribbean British settling America

Modern day gated community Retirement homes Country Clubs

Security Zones Fear of crime and outsiders Strengthen the feeling and function of community Most Common in coastal secondary- home developments with mixed incomes and part and full time residents

Prestige Communities Fastest growing development form Services such as gate guards add to the sense of exclusivity Found more among the rising upper-middle class in developing world

Lifestyle Communities Suburban gated new-town developments May contain several thousand housing units incorporating residential, commercial, and retail activities within or nearby Popular in Bankok, Jakarta, and Mexico City

Gated Communities in Latin America

Rise of barrios cerradas or condomínios fechados

Locations of barrios cerrados/condomínios fechados Buenos Aires, Argentina Mexico City, Mexico São Paulo, Brazil

Reasons for Development Political Social Economic Violence

Ilha Do Sul – São Paulo Vertical Condo Complex • Middle class apartments • Sports facilities • Walled-in • Restaurant • Access controlled by security guards • Theater • Club like amenities

Horizontal Condo Complex • Detached single-family houses • Built by owners to standards set forth in deed but high value is attached to a house’s personality • Common areas and amenities shared by residents • Walled and gated • Less common type of condo

Enclosed Neighborhood Existing neighborhoods closed off by street closures Roads remain public property

Residents value living among others of the same class. gated communities are by nature exclusionary and homogenous. Residents shy away from undesired interactions, movement, and the unpredictable dangers of the open street. Recently - looser building restrictions and availability of land allow gated communities to be built in the periphery -- where the poor traditionally settled

Another pool and patio Tennis Courts • 3 maids rooms • Waiting rooms for drivers in basement • Special rooms for storing crystal, china silver, ect • Electric fences, video cameras, and private guards Luxury apartments in São Paulo right next to a favela Individual pools

Societal Impact of Gated Communities: Latin America • Fortified enclaves: an established component of urban built environment in large cities • Quality of inside of fortified enclaves is high Residents of community shielded from violence and crime Social Stratification in housing leads to isolation

Political Impact of Gated Communities Tensions (social, economic and political) arises from greater access to resources by residents of gated communities • Communities : avisual reminder of inequality • • • Promotes envy Accentuates class warfare Undermines democracy

Social Stratification and Fragmentation Flow Chart

Distribution of Wealth: Latin America – World