The architect who changed the gray city

El Alto, a highland city in Bolivia, was once full of monotonous ocher-colored buildings. There is an architect who transformed this city's skyline into a feast of primary colors. This is Freddy Mamani. He has broken down the boundaries between indigenous culture and modern architecture through his unique style called 'Neo-Andean architecture'.

Mamani unveiled his architectural philosophy at the 'In Focus: Radical Repair' event at the 2023 Milan Triennale. “I want to show my identity through architecture,” he said. “I want to show the world that South America has a strong culture connected to our ancestral roots.”

Why is this architecture important?

Mamani's work is not a simple aesthetic experiment. He resists the homogenization imposed by global modernism and proves that progress does not necessarily mean a break with history. By incorporating the patterns of the Tiwanaku civilization and the traditional colors of the Aymara people into modern buildings, he is turning the entire city into a cultural statement.

“We have been filling a radical void in the urban landscape, creating buildings that today’s society can identify with the cultures of their ancestors.”

Mamani also actively responds to sustainability issues. “Climate change and inequality have been extremely concerning for decades. I want to use materials in my projects that are environmentally friendly and do not leave polluting residues. We need to use local materials, reduce energy use and reuse water used in construction.”

Context from Tiwanaku to the modern city

Mamani's architecture did not appear suddenly. The Tiwanaku civilization (c. 300 BC to 1150 AD), located near Lake Titicaca in western Bolivia, was one of the first large-scale urban civilizations in the Andes. This civilization's geometric patterns, symmetrical structures, and strong use of color are the direct source of Mamani architecture.

Since the mid-20th century, Bolivia, like other developing countries, has embraced Western modernist architecture. Concrete box-shaped buildings filled the city, and indigenous architectural languages ​​were gradually pushed to the periphery. When Mamani began his career in earnest in the 2000s, his ornate buildings were initially the object of ridicule.

But the situation turned around. El Alto's newly wealthy class, especially Aymara merchants who were successful in trade, began to compete to commission Mamani's 'Cholet' building. 'Chore' is a compound word of 'Chola (Aymara woman)' and 'Chalet', symbolizing the combination of indigenous culture and modern wealth.

Changes made by the community [AI analysis]

“People are the most powerful agents of change in this city,” Mamani said. “My community gives me the opportunity to work freely on buildings, and together we are transforming the city’s yellow earth into a colorful place.”

The implications of his work go beyond the world of architecture. As interest in combining indigenous knowledge and modern technology grows in countries of the Global South, Mamani's case is likely to attract attention as a successful model. In particular, as UNESCO and each country's cultural policies emphasize the 'modern use of intangible cultural heritage,' cultural restoration through architecture is expected to further spread.

However, it must also be taken into account that this approach, combined with commercial success, may face criticism as 'commodification of culture'. As Mamani himself stated, the key will be whether the principle of “respecting history” can be maintained in the future.