The evolutionary process of the colonial architecture in Old Havana, the gradual adaptation of its spatial layout and architectural elements to the local climate and people idiosyncrasy can offer fundamentals for the future building design and interventions in this urban area. The accumulated knowledge during more than four centuries can not be neglected, as well as the errors can not be repeated. The main objectives of this historical review are first, to follow, in a compressed form through previous studies, the typological evolution of Cuban colonial houses in Old Havana; then, to see the relation of these elements with the climatic, functional and cultural aspects in order to recognize the typological elements, that in its essence, can be interpret in the new buildings’ design. In this way, the selective analysis of Cuban colonial architecture serve as a tool, both to understand the past, its asset and backwards and more important, to look at the future for conceiving the new . The new, in the scope of this study, is conceived as part of a tradition that far from being a static attribute, means building innovation and adaptation to the local climatic, cultural and morphological conditions .