Artespacio CAF: insights regarding the current Bolivian architecture

With the objective of contributing to the analysis of the state of the architecture in Bolivia, Artespacio CAF, gallery of the Development Bank of Latin America in La Paz, will present the show "Reflexiones: la arquitectura boliviana actual" (Insights: the current Bolivian architecture) from Wednesday July 27th, to Friday, August 26th. The exhibition will be complemented with a conversation which will seek to evaluate the Bolivian architectural creative and thought processes.

Cecilia Lampo, the gallery's curator, explained, "The Bolivian architecture has achieved a relevance never reached before, so we consider that it is important to reflect about this discipline which is so influential in the life of every society". The exhibition will include the participation of visual artist Alejandra Delgado, who will show pictures in negative of contemporary Andean constructions, and architects Andrés Costa du Rels, Luis Ignacio Gallardo, Iván Valdez, and  Freddy Mamani. They will show architectural scale models, drawings, diagrams, and thought processes. 

Prior to the inauguration of the show, there will be a conversation in CAF's auditorium, where all the exhibitors will state their analysis of the national architectural design process. Lampo pointed out, "We want to inquire whether there is a Bolivian architectural identity; analyze if the architectural processes are valid with respect to processes and materials; and learn how constructions are affecting the lives of citizens".  

The co-curator of the show is architect Gastón Gallardo, dean of the Faculty of Architecture of the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA).

The exhibition may be visited in Artespacio CAF, located in la Av. Arce Nº 2915, corner of Clavijo (San Jorge Area),  from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 14:30 to18:00, starting on July 27th. 

Information on the exhibitors 

ANDRÉS COSTA DU RELS and LUIS IGNACIO GALLARDO DE ALIAGA are architects from Las Paz, who studied at the Universidad Católica Boliviana "San Pablo". In 2003, they founded the company Gallardo/Costa du Rels. Their work has been published in the  ESCALA magazine in Colombia, and in the second edition of Backstage Architecture in Italy. This publication includes the work of 57 worldwide architects who are younger than 35 years, with the objective of showing the emerging generation of architects. Their works have been shown in the VII Ibero-American Architecture and Urbanism Biennial of Medellin, Colombia (2010), Ibero-American Architecture and Urbanism Biennial of Medellin, Colombia (2010), Backstage Architecture in Venice, Italy (2012), the Crown Hall of the Institute of Technology in Illinois, Chicago, USA (2012) and Artespacio CAF in La Paz (2012). In addition, this company has been awarded the Grand Prize of the XI Bolivian Architecture Biennial (2010).

FREDDY MAMANI. Born on November 1st, 1971 in Catav, Department of La Paz. He is an advanced technician in civil constructions, civil engineer, and architect. With ten years of experience in the field of constructions, he has created more than 60 works which he calls "Arquitectura Andina" (Andean Architecture), which can be seen in La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Puno (Peru), and Brasilia (Brazil) .The characteristic of these works is that they are generally commercial galleries, social reception halls, apartments for rent, and in the last floor, housing for the owners, who are mainly families dedicated to commercial, transportation, and mining activities in the city of El Alto.  Currently, he owns Constructora Técnica Multidisciplinaria (CONSTECM "J").

IVÁN VALDÉZ. He graduated as an architect at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA). Between 2002 and 2012 he lived and worked in London, where he collaborated with several renowned international firms. During that period he obtained a Master's degree in the program "Landscape Urbanism" at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London (2004). He has been an architecture teacher at UMSA and at the Universidad Católica Boliviana (UCB) in La paz, and was a Unit Master in the summer school of the Architectural Association (2006). In addition, he conducted workshops and seminars in 2005 and 2012. Since 2014 he is a Thesis teacher at the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella in Buenos Aires, and since 2015 he is in charge of the Introductory Workshop to the Urban Project at the same university. He is currently Director of Ivan_Valdez_Architects.

ALEJANDRA DELGADO. She graduated from the Academia  Nacional de Bellas Artes "Hernando Siles"  of Bolivia. She obtained a Master's degree in photography at the Escuela de Fotografía Centro de  Imagen EFTI in Madrid in 2007. She has been the winner of important awards (since 2005), such as Videoarte SIART, first place in the Concurso Nacional de Arte Joven (National Young Art Contest) in SIART, and second place in the contest Migrations and Remittances, organized by the World Bank (WB) in Bolivia. Her work has been exhibited is several countries such as Germany, Bolivia, Chile, USA, Ecuador, Spain, Paraguay, Peru, and  Uruguay.