The population growth and the lack of housing in the last quarter of the 19th century were ongoing issues in the towns on the left bank. The rapid industrial development gave rise to serious hygienic, social, economic, urban and, of course, political complications.
As the industries which had nestled in this area grew, new neighbourhoods and modern urban centres sprang to finally create a fully urbanised left bank. But one of the most significant blows that Europe suffered, which was directly related to the lack of housing and the overcrowding of the population, was that of diseases and pandemics. So, at the end of the nineteenth century, the motto: Sun, Air and Water became a popular one, a statement that was considered when orienting and building the new homes: very sunny, well-aired, with good ventilation, running water, toilet and enough bedrooms for the family.
It was something that occurred in a staggered manner in all industrial areas. Thus, since the beginning of the twentieth century, all over the left bank workers’ houses were to be planned under the 1911 and 1921 Laws of Cheap Houses, and the houses were built with British building models in mind. In Portugalete, two cooperatives were formed by workers from Altos Hornos de Vizcaya, La Naval and Babcock & Wilcox from 1923 to build their own homes. Both located in Repélega, “Villa Nueva” inaugurated the houses in 1926 and “El Progreso” in 1931. Both complexes are included in the General Inventory of Basque Cultural Heritage with the category of Monumental Complex. A little later, in 1955, the residential complex of the Babcock & Wilcox also located in Repélega was inaugurated, already built by «Viviendas de Vizcaya».
