Casa Taucho

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Cultural spaces · Subcategory: Institutions · Year: 1910?

This early 20th-century single-family home, located in the heart of the Duggi Neighbourhood, became the property of the Social Security in 1977. After years of abandonment and no apparent use, a group of young people began to use the building to meet and carry out various cultural and community activities, actively occupying the house and creating the Centro Social Okupado (CSO) (Occupied Social Centre).

For a time, Casa Taucho appeared in the local newspapers, not for its cultural activities but for the eviction attempts, involving police intervention, and the determined resistance of its occupants. Faced with this situation, the city council had to mediate in the conflict.

After several months of negotiations between the Town Hall and the Social Security Treasury, owner of the building, an agreement was reached to transfer ownership of the house to the Town Hall, with the commitment to carry out the rehabilitation of the building, which was at risk of collapse.

The aim is to turn Casa Taucho into a cultural and social space in suitable conditions that will energise the neighbourhood’s activities, a role that, without resources, had been fulfilled by the CSO collective members, who with their “occupation”, struggle and tenacity, have prevented the demolition of the building.

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