Havana: Patterns, Trajectories and Crossroads

TCR Talks – Winter Semester 25/26

By Prof. Dr. Jorge Peña Díaz

Date: Thursday, 16 October 2025
Time: 11:00–12:30
Place: Chair and Institute for Urban Design, SG301, Wüllnerstr. 5b, 52062 Aachen

Havana is a city of profound contrasts, where a vibrant street life unfolds against a backdrop of legendary architecture in a state of both decay and meticulous restoration. This lecture moves beyond the postcard image to analyze the Cuban capital as a living urban entity at a critical juncture in its history.

We will first decipher the enduring Patterns of the city—the unique morphologies of its neighborhoods, the social rhythms of daily life, and the economic structures that have defined the urban experience for decades. From these patterns, we can trace the emerging Trajectories of change: the forces of tourism, incipient private enterprise, technological adaptation, and shifting international relations that are pulling the city in new directions.

Finally, we arrive at the Crossroads. This lecture will argue that Havana is at a pivotal moment, where its historical path collides with potential futures. We will explore the tensions between preservation and development, collective memory and global capital, and state control and individual agency. By examining the intersection of these patterns and trajectories, this talk will offer a nuanced portrait of a city grappling with its past and actively shaping its future.