Construction as an extraordinary process

Review of Víctor Pegoraro (2023). Mar del Plata: El mercado inmobiliario del ocio. Las empresas familiares en la industria de la construcción, 1930-1990, 243 pp.

Abstract

Towards the mid-20th century, Mar del Plata ceased to be an exclusive seaside resort for Argentina's elites and consolidated itself as an affordable touristic destination for the lower classes. This transition was materialized in its urban fabric through a construction boom which was based on high-rise buildings and the regime of horizontal property. Víctor Pegoraro pieces together the history of Mar del Plata's construction industry during this critical period for the consolidation of its urban identity, and offers a relevant microhistorical contribution about its underlying family business model.