A Modernist Nuyorican Casita and the Aesthetics of Gentrification
-
Published:December 2024
The chapter explores the transformation of Nuyorican casitas, emblematic structures of South Bronx culture, into institutionalized objects. The Willis Avenue Community Garden’s casita, displayed at the Bronx Museum in 2014, embodies this shift. Originally a symbol of resistance against urban decay and marginalization, casita’s historical significance as a counterspace to modernist urban development has evolved. The NY Restoration Project (nyrp) replaced the original casita with a streamlined, modular version designed by a global architectural firm. This transformation reflects gentrification and aligns the casita with modernist aesthetics. The chapter demonstrates the process of de-politicization and de-contextualization, turning the casita into an aesthetic object detached from its cultural and social roots. The casita’s evolution serves as a lens to examine urban change, erasure, and gentrification’s impact on ethnic identity.
Advertisement