Freddy Mamani Presents Architecture with Identity I IN FOCUS: RADICAL REPAIR

“What’s important to me is to provide identity to the city through architecture,” said architect Freddy Mamani, who is transforming his hometown of El Alto, Bolivia, from a monochromatic urban sprawl into an oasis of colorful residences.
Speaking at our In Focus: Radical Repair event, Mamani explained how he is reinterpreting ancient local architecture and craft to create what he describes as a New Andean Architecture.
By referencing the geometric shapes found at nearby archeological sites, and the bright colors from the textiles woven and worn by women of the Aymara culture, the architect has been able to complete over 70 unique buildings in El Alto-where these structures have become a status symbol among the local people.
Mamani also revealed his newest building, and the latest iteration of this vibrant and groundbreaking architectural style: El Crucero de los Andes, a tower with a boat-like crown that provides a lookout over the city.
“We had to radically change the city's architecture… by recovering our past in the face of modernity,” he said.
This presentation was part of In Focus: Radical Repair the live recording took place on September 28, 2023, and was the first event organized in the framework of the global cultural partnership between The World Around and Fondation Cartier. In Focus: Radical Repair was held in collaboration with Triennale Milano.
To find out more about The World Around's programming or to get in touch, visit www.theworldaround.com
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