Striking Bolivian buildings take traditional design to the future

Self-taught architect Freddy Mamani is changing the face of the world's highest city

Colourful mansions known as "cholets" are popping up all over the world's highest city, El Alto in Bolivia.

The striking facades and interiors are designed in the style of Aguayo, a traditional cloth used by the indigenous Aymara community.

The man behind the mansions in the city which neighbours Bolivia's capital La Paz, is self-taught architect Freddy Mamani.

Aymaran himself, his style has been described the style as “New Andean” after the mountain range on which El Alto is situated.

The structure of his buildings follows a simple formula. The ground floor is commercial space, the first floor a party suite and then there are two floors of apartments. The buildings are then crowned by a rooftop house for the building’s owner.

Mr Mamani’s distinct style has earned him global attention and he recently designed a typically vibrant ballroom for an exhibition at the Foundation Cartier art museum in Paris.

Yuri Segalerba, who spent time in El Alto studying and photographing the cholets, said that they were symbols of Bolivia’s economic growth and “a renewed sense of indigenous pride”.