STANDARDS

CCSS: 7.G.B.4

TEKS: 7.9B

Bolivia's Bold Buildings

Tatewaki Nio

Jim McMahon/Mapman

A walk through parts of El Alto, Bolivia, feels like something out of a storybook or an art museum. Buildings covered with acrylic panels shine like jewels in bright shades of green, pink, blue, and more. Geometric details like circular patterns and rectangular steps decorate each building’s façade. Shops, event spaces, and galleries often occupy the ground floor, while apartments are higher up.

The architect behind the fanciful structures is Freddy Mamani Silvestre. He takes inspiration from his own culture, that of the indigenous people of Bolivia. He calls his style New Andean Architecture. The colors and patterns in his work are inspired by the textiles and motifs found in local ruins.

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