On the occasion of the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the flood of 1957, the MuVIM wanted to offer not only a documented exhibition - The laughter that changed Valencia - whose catalogue contains a rigorous, and sometimes new, account of the events - including previous events - and their immediate consequences. As on other occasions, the MuVIM also organized a conference, where the central objective was to analyse some of the processes that were decisive for the transformation experienced by the city in the fifty years after the flood. This book, the fruit of those days in November 2007, aims to open up new perspectives for discussion and contrast that will help define, in the most consensual way possible, sensible and efficient urban policies.