Image Courtesy of Carlos Villagómez Paredes

The Mosaic of Modernity and Traditionalism in Paceño Architecture

‘The city eats you up. It eats you, it chews you, it digests you and it defecates you.’
– Carlos Villagómez Paredes

La Paz is a chaotic sprawl, a wild mix of architectonic shapes and forms that take over even the most inhospitable stretches of land. Walking the city feels like exercise: while freezing in the shade, one is very likely to open one’s jacket and swear at the many layers of clothes once hiking uphill. To round it all off, the teleférico’s cable cars float quietly above, connecting its residents in a futuristic way, transforming a simple commute into an exciting amusement park ride.

Carlos Villagómez Paredes, a renowned architect in La Paz who is a graduate of the city’s University of San Andrés, with advanced degrees from Mexico City’s UNAM and the Free University of Brussels in Belgium, sees a second important dimension to La Paz’s peculiar appearance apart from its geographical location: its ethnic and social configuration. No other city can boast the rich share of indigenous population found here. Indeed, the indigenous culture and traditions are undoubtedly a major tourist attraction for all of Bolivia.

Villagómez, who teaches at the University of San Andrés and designed additions to the Ethnographic and Folklore Museum in La Paz and the Folklore Museum in El Alto, amongst many other projects, considers the social configuration an integral part of his work and calls for more sensitivity amongst his colleagues for the variety of cultural expressions that were established by the recognition of the plurinational and pluricultural state of Bolivia. An architect’s challenge in La Paz, therefore, is the cultural mosaic constructed in a cratered city deemed by many to be unsuitable for human settlement. ‘It’s a very special city. It is madness to be an architect in this city!’ Villagómez exclaims.

According to Villagómez, the city’s diversity, in all its forms and shapes, does not allow for one single architectural style to dominate the urban landscape; that would disregard and obliterate the many groups not culturally represented by that particular style. To understand the people as an architect is to respect and embrace their diversity. ‘It is not enough to simply be an architect in this city; one has to be a cultural leader, one has to be a cultural activist, an intellectual leader to be an architect in this city,’ he says. A cultural responsibility, therefore, stems from the profession; Villagómez has accepted a responsibility to represent all the disparate elements of the city with dignity and respect.

In many of his works, Villagómez has embraced and mastered the ‘Western’ style of clear and geometric lines, forms and shapes that add an elegant touch to the timeless white that dominates some of his houses, whether that is to satisfy a customer or to broaden his own horizon. Large windows, oriented to face the most spectacular views, give off warm light on the outside and allow a sneak peak into majestic yet minimalistic interiors and elegantly curved staircases.

Indeed, Villagómez does not think La Paz is one of the seven most wondrous cities of the world because of its beauty. The city presents a challenge to any architect, as its intensity, in the words of Villagómez, ‘eats up any kind of intention... The city eats you up. It eats you, it chews you, it digests you and it defecates you in a way where it does not give you the option of saying, “I am an architect of this city.”’

Despite a changing appearance, mostly due to new high-rise buildings and the emergence of modern, minimalistic, Western-looking buildings and houses in Zona Sur, the cityscape is still dominated by half-finished brick houses with their steel rods eerily pointing upwards, little signs of urban planning, dusty streets filled with car emissions, stray dogs and simple street vendors. If one is not convinced from the mere sight of it, it is the city’s day-to-day life that marches to a different beat, that paints an unusual picture, and that instills a peculiar feeling in the visitor, which cannot only be blamed on altitude sickness.

‘Ciudad Maravillosa’, according to Villagómez, does not mean beautiful; in his own words, it means ‘extraordinary, unusual, daring, strange... very strange.’

How Transport Gives Life to a City

A blur of zipping cars, once covered in a brownish smoke cloud, now makes its way up the dizzying heights of a steep zigzagging road, reflecting the blinding sun against a clear blue sky.

A concert of horns hit multiple times, each with its own intention. Cars crossing lanes, speeding into a roundabout, stopping for a running passenger, making a turn at a corner.

A frequent quasi-solstice, like a rapidly moving cloud, as the teleférico floats silently above it all in a never-ending flow.

In their own way, they connect La Paz and paceños from one point to another, in a commute that becomes a crazy and stressful race, in a bustling and dynamic city.

Photos by María Mayböck

La Paz’s Ciudadanos Chime In on Why Their City Deserves Its Accolades

It was only possible for La Paz to be selected as one of the New Seven Wonder Cities of the World because the people of La Paz voted in droves. So what exactly is it about La Paz that makes an ordinary paceño feel like the city is worthy of such an honor – and what changes have they noticed? We took to the streets of La Paz to find out.

Juan
Cobbler
Where we found him: at his shoe kiosk in the Sopocachi neighborhood

I think the city deserved to be named because it has nice touristic spaces. There are many different touristic features, and a unique aspect is the different climates of La Paz that can all be experienced in one day. The teleférico is the change I have noticed from the campaign.

Maria
Student
Where we found her: sitting on a bench in Plaza España, in Sopocachi

I think it is true that La Paz is wonderful. Every part of La Paz is a special place – there are so many things and places to see both in and near La Paz. Such as San Francisco Cathedral, [the ancient ruins of] Tiwanuku, and Copacabana [on the shores of nearby Lake Titicaca].

Salvador and Jesed
Students, Jessed is currently studying in the United States
Where we found them: El Monticulo in Sopocachi

La Paz deserves to be called maravillosa. To us, that means spectacular, special, unique. La Paz surprises you. It is a very active city filled with distinctive cultures. The changes we have noticed since the nomination are better transportation and more people participating in the arts.

Sergente Fernandez
Policeman
Where we found him: El Monticulo in Sopocachi

I think La Paz was chosen because it has some of the most beautiful and cleanest places to visit, such as El Monticulo, and then there is El Prado [La Paz’s main thoroughfare]. My favorite place in La Paz is the yellow line of the teleférico [which connects La Paz to El Alto]. Since people have heard about the city being nominated as one of the most wondrous cities of the world, they take pride in keeping the city clean.

Jennifer and Mauricio
Chef and restaurant owner, respectively
Where we found them: taking a smoke break outside their restaurant in Sopocachi

While Jennifer thinks La Paz was nominated due to its beautiful places, Mauricio thinks it is due to the distinctive people, such as the cholitas, and the harmony in which the citizens live together. Since La Paz was awarded the maravillosa moniker, they’ve both noticed more tourists coming from Peru to pass through La Paz.

Ronald
Student
Where we found him: skateboarding in Plaza Avaroa

Maravillosa to me means something that shines, that everyone likes, something that isn’t common and only exists in certain selected places. La Paz deserves the nomination because the paceños have made a great effort to have a beautiful city. We are constantly evolving and transforming, constantly improving our way of life. Our culture has been distorted due to colonization, but now through our indigenous roots we are starting to take it back.

Photos by María Mayböck