丨玻利维亚拉巴斯

Chiwiñas Shadows

El Alto, Bolivia

xioz arquitectura - diseño - ingenieria

Temporary Public Space, mostly built with local recycle material

meeting place

in use

Basurama, Xioz adi , La Paz Stencil, Aymar Coppacatti

This temporary urban project ‘Shadows Chiwinas’ is located on this natural geographical border between the city of El Alto and La Paz. The city El Alto is the youngest and highest of Bolivia, located next to the border of the administrative capital La Paz city.

El Alto is also the fastest growing in South America due to rapid rural migration. This rapid urbanization has caused in some areas dense living areas but also isolated spaces. Those places are usually appropriated by informal markets and temporary installations.

Most of the locals are primarily engaged to informal trade. They usually appropriate the streets and side walks with small business and commerce; selling vegetable or exoteric, traditional folk rituals. Other businesses are conducted in homes where outweigh the shops of all kinds: hardware stores, bazaars, grocery, barracks, butchers, brick, restaurants, metalworking shops, carpentry and some more. A true mix of small scale business and markets.

These social and economical flows make the area even more flexible in usage and social context. El Alto is one of the most dynamic cities of South America.

The design team proposed to build radial structures for the parasols made from founded struts, shaped as a cone or bouquet. These structures are smartly located around the area within fixed distances. Being partially fixed to the soil, they are also double supported by stones, shaping them somehow as little mountains where people could eventually use as sitting areas. The structures were also decorated with stencils of various forms and colours. Locals were involved in the painting process, especially children.