(In) security, transformer of urban spaces Altos de Santa Elena Urbanization – Cali

The notions of security of a population can define its relationship with space. This article analyzes this relationship in an urbanization of social housing, where the inhabitants, upon arrival, exercise practices to have security based on their perceptions, conceptions and experiences. The study investigates the social and spatial transformations of the Altos de Santa Elena urbanization in the city of Cali based on two notions of (in)security: security as surveillance and physical protection and security as well-being, which has the implicit coexistence and formation of the social fabric. The methodology applied was of a qualitative nature in order to collect versions of the problem from the inhabitants of the urbanisation, the neighbours and the institutions involved. The results consider a historical sketch of the construction, the settlement of the houses, together with the daily routes of the inhabitants and the notions of security in relation to the practices they adopt and make them feel safe. Finally, the conclusions discuss the prevalence of security as surveillance in the perception of the inhabitants and in the socio-spatial configuration of urbanization.Las nociones de seguridad de una población pueden definir su relación con el espacio. El presente artículo analiza esta relación en una urbanización de vivienda social, donde los habitantes al llegar ejercen prácticas para tener seguridad a partir de sus percepciones, concepciones y vivencias. El estudio indaga sobre las transformaciones sociales y espaciales de la urbanización Altos de Santa Elena en la ciudad de Cali a partir de dos nociones de (in)seguridad: seguridad como vigilancia y protección física y seguridad como bienestar que tiene implícita la convivencia y formación del tejido social. La metodología aplicada fue de corte cualitativo con el fin de recoger versiones desde los habitantes de la urbanización, los vecinos y las instituciones involucradas sobre la problemática. Los resultados consideran un bosquejo histórico de la construcción, el poblamiento de las viviendas, junto a los recorridos cotidianos de los habitantes y las nociones de seguridad en relación con las prácticas que adoptan y los lleva a sentirse seguros. Por último, en las conclusiones se debate sobre la prevalencia de la seguridad como vigilancia en la percepción de los habitantes y en la configuración socioespacial de la urbanización.The notions of security of a population can define its relationship with space. This article analyzes this relationship in an urbanization of social housing, where the inhabitants, upon arrival, exercise practices to have security based on their perceptions, conceptions and experiences. The study investigates the social and spatial transformations of the Altos de Santa Elena urbanization in the city of Cali based on two notions of (in)security: security as surveillance and physical protection and security as well-being, which has the implicit coexistence and formation of the social fabric. The methodology applied was of a qualitative nature in order to collect versions of the problem from the inhabitants of the urbanisation, the neighbours and the institutions involved. The results consider a historical sketch of the construction, the settlement of the houses, together with the daily routes of the inhabitants and the notions of security in relation to the practices they adopt and make them feel safe. Finally, the conclusions discuss the prevalence of security as surveillance in the perception of the inhabitants and in the socio-spatial configuration of urbanization