Centro Cooperativista Uruguayo (CCU) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1962 to promote associative practices among rural workers. Since 1966, CCU has focused on supporting cooperative housing, becoming the first group of professionals in Uruguay dedicated to guiding people through the development of cooperative projects. Throughout its history, CCU has been associated with innovation in housing, often taking on the risks of experimental models. It was the first team to work with self-managed cooperative housing groups and developed large-scale projects of over 300 homes in the 1970s. In recent years, CCU has pioneered vertical cooperative housing through self-construction, opening new possibilities for cooperative urbanism and reclaiming central city areas previously dominated by real estate interests. To date, CCU has developed over 20 cooperative housing buildings built by their future residents, advancing a more democratic and inclusive model of city-making.