Architect Freddy Mamani has transformed the skyline of El Alto, Bolivia, by infusing the city with a vibrant new architectural language. Rejecting the monotony of its sprawling concrete blocks, Mamani has pioneered what he calls New Andean Architecture—a movement that reinterprets ancient forms and indigenous craft for the contemporary city.

Drawing inspiration from the geometric patterns of nearby archaeological sites and the brilliant colors of Aymara textiles, Mamani has completed more than 70 landmark buildings in El Alto. His designs—once radical departures from convention—have become celebrated status symbols within the community, giving the city a distinctive cultural identity.

Speaking at In Focus: Radical Repair, Mamani described his mission as nothing less than redefining the character of El Alto: “What’s important to me is to provide identity to the city through architecture.” His latest work, El Crucero de los Andes, is a striking tower crowned with a boat-like form that offers sweeping views across the city, extending his vision of architecture as both a cultural recovery and a bold gesture toward modernity. “We had to radically change the city’s architecture,” he explains, “by recovering our past in the face of modernity.”