Architects, historians and restoration experts discuss the social transformation caused by the deployment of US military bases in Cartagena
Almost seventy years after the Madrid Pacts, which opened the door to the deployment of US military bases, a group of experts in Cartagena – where one of those facilities stood until 1991 – will analyze the impact of the arrival of the military Americans, from a little perspective. studied perspective At the geopolitical level, Spain was given an oxygen ball, because after the civil war it represented its departure from international isolation, to unite with the Western Bloc in the middle of the Cold War. But on a smaller scale, the presence of these foreign troops also contributed to a certain social transformation.
Timidly, the American life model began to gain a foothold, with its epicenter in these bases. “They were small towns, with their commissioners, supplied with products from the United States; its cinemas and its radio stations, where rock and jazz played”, sums up UPCT professor Pedro García Martínez, together with José Vela Castillo, director of the conference ‘The architecture of the American military bases in Spain: from the infrastructure to form life. Taking place next Monday the 26th in the Isaac Peral Hall (CIM), admission is free, and aims to draw attention to “a heritage of architectural importance and part of our history,” says Vela.
Despite this relevance, many of these facilities were dismantled over time, mainly as they became obsolete, but excellent examples still stand. In Cartagena, a residential area has been preserved on the Tentegorra highway and some logistics buildings at the base of Algameca. In addition, García Martínez believes that the old Naval Hospital also responds to a project from that time. The teacher and architect will contribute to his vision of the speed with which these military units were built in different locations of the national territory. He claims that the Americans resorted to a grid-based system similar to that of the Roman camps.
For José Vela, a professor at IE University, the arrival of the American bases facilitated cultural connections and a transfer of technical knowledge. «Spanish architects collaborated, such as Francisco Asís Cabrero and Moreno Barberá, who learned more about more advanced forms of design and construction methods. They also facilitated contact with modern design, which helped to leave behind that National-Catholic style that dominated architecture in Spain,” he explains. In addition, the national construction companies, in charge of the execution of the works, could count on the most modern machines, which were brought in from the other side of the Atlantic. “Later it was sold to the same companies and they used it to build dams, roads and bridges. It was the origin of the great Spanish construction companies, such as Pilar Salazar and Adoración Álvaro have studied».
The American presence has also left its mark on the residential model. “The military wanted the soldiers stationed here to feel at home, and they exported to Spain the typical home of the landscaped suburbs of the United States,” explains Ángel Alcaraz, a technician from the rehabilitation service of the Cartagena City Council and a speaker at the conference. The experience of World War II led the US to bet on what was called “preventive urban planning.” Compared to the social blocks of flats built in Spain at the time, the American model was sprawling and low-population, with single-family homes surrounded by greenery and amenities. In Cartagena, for example, they had basketball and baseball fields. “We can now see the evolution of this schedule in golf resorts,” explains Alcaraz.
In short, American cities responded to the idea of a garden city in the age of the automobile. Because the car was essential in this model for long-distance homes. In addition, the residents enjoyed ventilated and super-equipped houses. They had all kinds of appliances in the kitchens, while most Spanish houses didn’t even have a refrigerator.
The conference, supported by the Ministry of Defense, will conclude with speeches by Xose Prieto, of the Carlos III University of Madrid; Pilar Salazar, of the University of Navarre, and Brett Tippey, of Kent State University. The organizers expect the participation of civilians who lived in the first person upon the arrival of the US military, to contribute their memories of that experience.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
