Plaça de la Seu in Xàtiva is back in the news. A house with a history of occupation has been walled up again by the authorities. Instead of seeking a housing solution, brick and cement are the chosen option. With the current housing crisis, this decision seems more like a patch than a solution. The building remains empty and unused while many people need a home.
Sealing technology: the urban plug method 🧱
The walling-up process uses basic masonry techniques: bricks, mortar, and a coat of paint to disguise it. There are no sensors or smart surveillance systems. It is a 19th-century solution for a 21st-century problem. In other European cities, electronic locks or express renovation programs are used. Here, the blind wall is preferred. Technology applied to social housing could offer more efficient alternatives than a simple partition wall.
The safest house in Xàtiva: neither squatters nor tenants 🔒
The walled-up property is probably the safest in the region. No one enters, no one leaves. Neither squatters, nor neighbors, nor even the electricity bill collector. A brick fortress protecting its interior from the terrible danger of being inhabited. Meanwhile, next door, a family is looking for an apartment and only finds rental prices that invite you to take out a loan. Good thing the brick doesn't complain.