Guidelines For The Diagnosis Of Industrial Sugar Mills: The Case Of Central Toledo, Habana, Cuba

The Cuban sugar mills are closely related to the historical and cultural development of Cuba. Those settlements show values, both tangible and intangible, which are a vital part of the national heritage and identity. The downsizing of the Cuban sugar industry in year 2000 endangered the preservation of its historical heritage. Although not everything can be preserved, representative pieces must be respected. The purpose of this investigation is to organize the criteria for the diagnosis of these industrial settlements, consistent with their values. This paper presents the design of an instrument that guides this process, in which the values are considered the main factor of these transformations. Based on this, the potentialities and constraints are identified for future rehabilitation proposals. Furthermore, the results of the application of the instrument are shown in summary for a particular case. These results demonstrate the convenience of using industrial heritage as a transformation factor for these settlements.