Transfer of urban ideas: The emergence of Venezuelan urbanism in the proposals for 1930s’ Caracas

Abstract

This article focuses on the emergence of Venezuela's modern urbanism through the proposals for 1930s’ Caracas. In an effort to combine the different discourses which underpinned the urban discipline, both technical and legal literature are reviewed. As a way of illustrating how urbanistic ideas travelled from Europe to Latin America until the early decades of this century, the article stresses the professional background of the French urbanists called to design the 1939 ‘Plan Monumental’ of Caracas. The role of the local administration in assembling the different strands which had shaped Venezuelan urbanism since the late 19th century is highlighted.