ABSTRACT
The quote by the architect that opens this chapter was said to me when I assumed responsibility for modernizing what had been an inherited country house for the whole Uribe-Vargas family. Due to division of land assets between brothers four generations ago, and between my grandmother and her brother and sisters, my sister and I ended up with a property called San Jose. Several of my relatives have cherished memories of staying with grandmothers at this farm, often over the weekend or longer holiday periods. The house itself was completely un-modernized, had lacked upkeep and even an electricity supply. I made it a priority to modernize it, so I would be able to use it for the family over weekends. I made a plan with an architect, hence the quote. Throughout the renovation project each bit of the house – doors, colors, pieces of furniture – would be reviewed and a decision would be made of what to keep or change. It was a constant process of deciding what to keep of original features and what to modernize. I had very little cash so necessity also dictated the end result and the blend of the old and new. During the process I received several opinions and emotional grievances and support from the wider family. When the renovation at last was finished we held one of our regular family parties. Family members would go through and comment, revisiting the memories triggered by features I had kept, surprised positively or negatively by
what had been changed. I learned that changing such inherited assets alters how others can access their memories and their history. This experience, or critical event, influenced the process of renewal of the land assets and the school that I describe below.
