The Making of Neo-Andean Style: Architecture and the Transformation of Contemporary Culture in the Andes (Doctoral Dissertation Preview)

Abstract

This is a preview of my doctoral dissertation resuming 4 years of (field) research on how architecture is done, and what architecture does for reshaping collective identities in the case of the emergent architectures in El Alto, Bolivia. It includes a Table of Contents and an Image. After revision I will post the entire text.

Full text

The Making of
Neo-Andean Style
Architecture and the Transformation of
Contemporary Culture in the Andes
Dissertation submitted by
M.A.
Marco Luis Paladines Valarezo
At Faculty VI -Planning, Building, Environment-
of Technische Universität Berlin
for obtaining the academic degree
DOCTOR IN PHILOSOPHY
Dr.phil.
Berlin, 16. January 2023

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
The Topic: Neo-Andean Style of Architecture and the HCA Building. ...............................................................6
The Objective: New Perspectives on (Andean) Cultural Transformations ......................................................9
The Method: Reflections on approaching Indigenous Architecture ................................................................ 12
The Organization of the Text: From the Emergence of a New Style to Growing Buildings .................. 15
THE VOICE OF THE HCA BUILDING............................................................................................................................................. 18
PART I: THE EMERGENCE OF THE NEO-ANDEAN STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE .................................... 19
CHAPTER ONE: NEO-ANDEAN STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE AND THE ALTEÑO TYPE .......................................................... 20
1.1. What is Neo-Andean Architecture? ...................................................................................................................... 21
1.2. The Alteño Type............................................................................................................................................................. 25
Emergence of the Alteño Type ........................................................................................................................................................... 25
Reproduction Strategies ........................................................................................................................................................................ 28
Typical Spatial Program ......................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Expressive Qualities ................................................................................................................................................................................. 32
From Type to Style .................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
1.3. Neo-Andean Style of Architecture ......................................................................................................................... 37
References to Indigenous Cultures .................................................................................................................................................. 38
Iconography from Tiwanaku ............................................................................................................................................................... 39
The Colors of Awayus............................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Façades ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 48
Interiors and Ornaments ....................................................................................................................................................................... 51
Neo-Andean or Cholet?........................................................................................................................................................................... 54
1.4. Other Styles of the Emergent Architecture ........................................................................................................ 57
World-Eclectic ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 58
Transformer ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 59
Polychrome Minimalist .......................................................................................................................................................................... 62
Overview ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 63
CHAPTER TWO: GEO-SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS OF A NEW ARCHITECTURE ........................................................................ 64
2.1. Altiplano and the Andes Region, Geo-social Landscapes ............................................................................. 65
2.2. El Alto, a self-made City in the Heights ............................................................................................................... 71
Tension and Connection with La Paz .............................................................................................................................................. 71
El Alto’s Formation ................................................................................................................................................................................... 77
Infrastructure Space ................................................................................................................................................................................ 81
Mobility in El Alto ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 82
2.3. Andean Trade Economies.......................................................................................................................................... 85
Ephemeral Infrastructures, Alternative Economic Practices ............................................................................................ 86
The Porousness of Market Practices in the Andes................................................................................................................... 88

Accumulation for Construction .......................................................................................................................................................... 90
2.4. Andean Politics and the Political Constitution of El Alto ............................................................................ 92
Collective Action, Identity, and Autonomy .................................................................................................................................. 93
Alteño Citizenship ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 95
Andean Cosmopolitics ............................................................................................................................................................................ 98
2.5. Articulations of Racial Difference as Cultural Difference ........................................................................ 101
Difference and Beauty .......................................................................................................................................................................... 102
Contrast and Opposition ..................................................................................................................................................................... 104
Uncomfortable Encounters and Transits................................................................................................................................... 106
PART II: MAKING ARCHITECTURE IS GROWING BUILDINGS ................................................................ 110
CHAPTER THREE: MAKING BUILDINGS IN EL ALTO ............................................................................................................. 111
3.1. Learning to weave ..................................................................................................................................................... 114
Ever-becoming Materials ................................................................................................................................................................... 115
Understanding Processes of Making ............................................................................................................................................ 116
The Hand Knows ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 119
3.2. Preparing Concrete ................................................................................................................................................... 121
Hands on for a smooth Feeling........................................................................................................................................................ 123
Knowing, Doing, Telling ...................................................................................................................................................................... 126
Darío’s life in construction ................................................................................................................................................................ 132
3.3. Building a Wall ........................................................................................................................................................... 134
Getting to the Site ................................................................................................................................................................................... 136
Understanding the Plan....................................................................................................................................................................... 140
Carrying Material .................................................................................................................................................................................... 142
Rough and Fine Work ........................................................................................................................................................................... 144
Lining up a Wall with the Help of Gravity ................................................................................................................................. 147
Holding Bricks Together ..................................................................................................................................................................... 149
3.4. Discussing Color Combinations for Flor de Rosa.......................................................................................... 154
Joining the Attention around a Table........................................................................................................................................... 155
Keeping the Mood up............................................................................................................................................................................ 159
Glass and Aluminum: Aesthetical Perspectives ..................................................................................................................... 162
CHAPTER FOUR: GROWING BUILDINGS: THE STORY OF HOTEL CHOLET DE LOS ANDES ............................................. 166
4.1. On the Birth and Growth of a Neo-Andean Building .................................................................................. 168
The Site: Final Castillo.......................................................................................................................................................................... 170
Daydreaming with Victor Choque and Freddy Mamani .................................................................................................... 176
Uncertain Futures .................................................................................................................................................................................. 179
The Building’s Growth ......................................................................................................................................................................... 186
4.2. Creating Collectively................................................................................................................................................. 192
Drawing anywhere: On Freddy Mamani’s Situated Creativity....................................................................................... 193
Making Forms from Figures: Architecture as a Collective Creation ........................................................................... 199
Endowing Life: Textile and Iconic Patterns as painted Architectural Ornaments .............................................. 206
4.3. An Andean Cruise ....................................................................................................................................................... 218

A Ship navigating the Altiplano....................................................................................................................................................... 218
Sailing across Expectations and Controversies ...................................................................................................................... 223
The Ship is the Sign................................................................................................................................................................................ 226
CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................................................................................... 233
The Limits and Potentials of this Investigation .................................................................................................... 235
The Specificity of Alteño Type and Neo-Andean Style ....................................................................................................... 236
The Visibility of Making Processes................................................................................................................................................ 237
The Characterization of Neo-Andean as Transmodern ..................................................................................................... 238
GLOSSARY OF AYMARA/QUECHUA TERMS ............................................................................................................................. 241
LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................................................................................................... 242
IMAGE CREDITS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 245
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................... 246

Figure 1: The first Neo-Andean Style building by Freddy Mamani. (All photographs by author unless otherwise stated.)