Bolivia’s Boldest Architect

His architecture has been called neo-Andean and “psychedelic altiplano.” Freddy Mamani Silvestre, the Bolivian architect whose hallmarks are strong colors and Andean iconography, prefers to call it Bolivian Andean architecture. Regardless of its name, the style is making an impression. He’s been covered by Quartz, Curbed, The Guardian and the BBC. His work has also been the subject of an exhibit at London’s Architectural Association School of Architecture and featured in a documentary, “Cholets.” (“Cholet” is a combination of “cholo,” which in Bolivia and other countries in Latin America refers to someone with a mix of European and indigenous heritage, and “chalet.” Depending on the context, “cholo” can have a pejorative connotation.) The boldness of his designs elicits strong reactions. Even a recent mention of Mamani’s architecture on Mansion Global’s Facebook page generated heated debate, with some calling him innovative and others describing his buildings as gaudy. Mamani, 42, was exposed to architecture at a young age. When he was young, his father, who later became a teacher, would take him along on construction jobs. As a teenager, Mamani worked in construction as well. He got his formal education in architecture from Universidad Boliviana de Informática in La Paz, graduating in 2010, and began developing his signature style shortly after.

The architect spoke with Mansion Global about the inspiration behind his style and what he thinks of the term “cholet.” This exchange, which was conducted in Spanish, has been edited and condensed for clarity. MANSION GLOBAL: How would you describe your style? MAMANI: It’s spontaneous architecture. From my viewpoint, it’s been a new trend with identity. I’ve got two key elements, the first one being the Andean iconographies [from the pre-Columbian city] of Tiahuanaco and then the color of the fabrics we use in [Bolivia]. I use a base color and then gradient colors, inspired by aguayos [the multicolored woolen cloth women in the Andes use to carry babies], ponchos and polleras [the colorful skirts worn by women in the Andes]. Those two elements make up a new architectural design, Bolivian Andean architecture. MG: What motivated you to develop this style? MAMANI: It’s a kind of social, even economic, recognition. At university, they teach European architecture, ordinary architecture; they don’t teach us our own local architecture. We don’t understand our own. It enrages me that they don’t teach us our own, it’s always the foreigner’s. There are even teachers who have studied in the best universities of the world and they’ve applied that in our cities, but there hasn’t been an architecture that identifies us.

MG: How much are you involved in the construction of your designs? MAMANI: I’m involved in the design all the way through to the construction. We’re given a plan of the plot, and based on that we start to plan the design, the architectural plans, and then the decorative work. I work with a team of nearly 200 workers, including builders, laborers, locksmiths, carpenters. MG: How much do you charge per job? MAMANI: Depending on the size, from $10,000 to $20,000 [U.S.] dollars for a small house and up to $200,000 or $300,000 in the case of larger projects, approximately. MG: How many projects have you built so far? MAMANI: In El Alto, over 60 works with the Andean architecture. Throughout Bolivia, over 100. In Juliaca, Peru, I’ve built a ballroom and in Cobija, Brazil, a nightclub. MG: What do you think about the term “cholet,” which is usually given to your designs? MAMANI: The word “cholet” annoys me. I don’t know why they use it. The architecture can’t be called “cholo”—it’s Andean architecture. When I was a child, I lived in the countryside. I’ve been called a farmer, an Indian. [Bolivian President Evo Morales] has been called “cholo.” But I’m not “cholo.” The word “cholet” seems to attract attention. MG: How would you respond to the criticism that your style is not representative of Bolivia? MAMANI: It does represent Bolivia because it merges this new trend; it merges elements from our roots, the intense colors of our culture, the Bolivian Andean-Amazon architecture. It captures our identity. Read this story in Spanish

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