Urbanization in 20th century Brazil has been characterized by a large rural-urban migration. The reinforcement, throughout the national territory, of an urban life-style brought about by this growing urbanization has somehow decreased the cultural distance between the country's urban and rural environments. In spite of that, cultural differences between the two environments do exist, and it is not wrong to assume that a cultural change occurs along the rural-urban migration process. The present research deals with the issue of urbanization and cultural change in Brazil. It focuses specifically on informal urban housing, built by rural immigrants to the city. This was done through a case study of an unplanned settlement, in Natal RN, Northeast Brazil. The study points out the dwellings' physical references to both tradition, that is, to the rural world from where the dwellers have come, and to change due to the urban environment, where they now live. The study also analyzes the socio-cultural causes for tradition and change of the dwellings. Its main finding is that this whole process leads to the formation of a hybrid type of urban house.

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