Exploring Unique Bolivian Houses And Their Features

The architecture of Bolivia is influenced by its history, culture, and religion, and there is no single style or model of native Bolivian homes. The country's most ancient ethnic groups used carved stone for their houses, temples, and other structures. The common people built their homes out of mud and straw with straw roofs. The arrival of Spanish settlers brought about a shift towards European-style buildings, new materials, and the Baroque and Andean Baroque styles. After independence, the architectural style became neoclassical, and today, modern and postmodern buildings dominate. Housing poverty is also a significant issue in Bolivia, with slum housing and a lack of access to essential facilities for many families.

Colonial Architecture

The architecture of Bolivia is closely related to its history, culture, and religion. Bolivian architecture has been constantly evolving and progressing over time. The country's most predominant style of architecture is Spanish Colonial, with slight variations as people adapt their homes to the climate of each region.

Colonial-style homes are typical of the towns and cities settled by the Spanish Conquistadors, who replicated their construction style throughout South America. In Bolivia, there are numerous beautiful Colonial homes in cities such as Sucre, Potosí, and Cochabamba, where even today there are entire towns of colonial architecture.

Colonial Bolivian houses are built in a rectangular fashion with an open patio or courtyard in the middle, around which all the rooms are built. Covered walkways with roofs held up by columns or posts surround the courtyard, so that one can walk around the house without getting wet when it rains. Sometimes the homes have two patios: one in the front, which may feature water fountains and fruit trees, and one at the back for storage, to corral animals, and for servant's quarters.

Most were made with adobe (mud mixed with straw) walls, although sometimes they were made of stone. The adobe walls were covered with plaster, and the roofs almost always had red clay roofing tiles or shingles made from cooked mud. Sometimes the roofs had ceramic shingles, though this wasn't typical. Many roofs were covered with straw or other materials native to the area.

Colonial-style homes in Bolivia typically feature very little decoration, as the Spanish and their descendants appreciated simplicity. This can also be seen in the furniture of the time, which was heavy and solid, made of straight lines, without many carvings or applications.

Today, most major cities in Bolivia have what is called the "casco viejo" or "historical center", where colonial constructions have been preserved.

Indigenous Architecture

Indigenous construction in Bolivia varies across different regions and is influenced by the area's climate, the availability of materials, and the cultural background of its inhabitants.

In the Andean highlands, ancient Andean ethnic groups used carved stone to build their houses, temples, and other structures. The common classes, on the other hand, constructed their homes from mud and straw, with straw roofs. With the arrival of the Spanish, they began to use adobe, a mixture of mud and straw, for their walls. The roofs were typically made from red clay roofing tiles or shingles of cooked mud. In the central valleys, the indigenous groups built small houses with one or two rooms, adobe walls, tiny windows, and medium-sized doors. The roofs were thatched with straw or made from red clay shingles.

The Urus, who live on Lake Titicaca, build their homes from "totora" reeds that grow along the lake's shores. They use various tying techniques to construct enormous floating reed platforms upon which they build dry floors and houses, also made entirely from reeds. The Chipaya, on the other hand, make round, cone-shaped houses called "walichi coya" near the salt flats close to Oruro. They build an initial structure of "tepe" (mud and roots) tied together with rope to create circular walls with a small door, usually facing the sunrise. The roofs are made from thola sticks, a native plant, and straw.

In the tropical lowlands of the Chaco region, the Guaraní construct their homes, "tentas", from huaraguay sticks (a native tree) tied together and filled with mud. The Guarani often build a round wall of loosely intertwined branches and sticks around their homes to let the air through. In the tropical tribes of Beni, Pando, and Santa Cruz, they use sticks and plants filled with mud, and the roofs are made from interwoven and layered dried palm fronds.

Housing Poverty

According to the National Institute of Statistics, approximately 30% of Bolivian families experience severe overcrowding, with 24% of cases involving three or more people sharing a single room. Additionally, about 31% of the population lives in inadequate conditions. The lack of access to basic amenities, such as safe housing with separate rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry areas, contributes to the housing poverty challenge.

To address this issue, organizations like Habitat for Humanity have taken initiatives to provide housing loans to low-income families who cannot access traditional bank financing. These loans are part of a revolving fund aimed at various housing solutions, including new constructions, upgrades, repairs, and progressive improvements. Since its inception, the organization has provided over 11,000 housing solutions in several departments, improving the living conditions for more than 50,000 people.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the need for safe and sanitary living conditions. In response, Habitat for Humanity initiated water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects to support vulnerable families. These projects aimed to ensure that families had access to essential amenities like bathrooms, kitchens, and drinking water, thereby improving their overall living standards.

The housing landscape in Bolivia is diverse, with indigenous, colonial, and modern architecture coexisting. However, the focus of this discussion is on the challenges of housing poverty, which disproportionately affects lower-income individuals and families in the country.

Skyscrapers

The architecture of Bolivia has constantly evolved, progressing from Pre-Columbian indigenous styles to European-influenced Baroque and Andean Baroque, and finally to modern-day skyscrapers and postmodern buildings.

Bolivia has 24 high-rise buildings above 100 metres (330 ft), most of which are located in La Paz and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. The Green Tower in La Paz, at 163.4 metres (536 ft), is currently the country's tallest skyscraper. However, some sources claim that the Torre Girasoles or the WTC TOYOSA Tower 1 in La Paz, at 228 metres, is the tallest building in Bolivia.

The Top 10 skyscrapers in Bolivia are almost all in La Paz and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Some of the tallest buildings in Bolivia include the Torres del Poeta (Torres C and D), Torre Mercantil Santa Cruz, Great House of the People, Torre de las Américas, Ambassador Business Center, Banco Central de Bolivia, Condominio La Riviera, and Multicentro (Torre B).

In addition to these skyscrapers, there are also plans for new constructions in Bolivia that will rise to at least 100 m (330 ft). These include the World Trade Center Santa Cruz 1 and 2 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

Expensive Properties

In Bolivia, it is common to find very expensive houses and other types of properties in exclusive, commercial areas and neighbourhoods. The downtown areas of major Bolivian cities, such as La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz, feature properties priced at over $1 million, with some even reaching $3 million. The most expensive single-family homes are typically located in exclusive neighbourhoods, with prices ranging from $500,000 to $1,000,000, and occasionally exceeding $3,000,000. These neighbourhoods, such as Calatoto and San Miguel in La Paz, Cala Cala in Cochabamba, and Equipetrol and Urubo in Santa Cruz, attract a diverse population of locals and expats alike.

The most expensive apartments in Bolivia are also situated in these exclusive neighbourhoods, with prices for a 2-bedroom, 1,000 ft2 apartment reaching $120,000, and a 4-bedroom, 2,000 ft2 apartment costing around $250,000 or more. The land value in these areas is a significant factor, with prices per ft2 ranging from $90 to $150, resulting in a 4,000 ft2 land lot costing up to $600,000.

The construction costs of these luxurious homes further contribute to their high prices, with construction costs averaging between $50/ft2 and $100/ft2. As a result, building a 3,000 ft2 luxury home on these land lots can cost up to $300,000, bringing the total value of the property to $900,000 or more, depending on additional features and location.

While extravagant houses with numerous luxuries are uncommon in Bolivia, the country does offer a range of prestigious villas and apartments. These properties showcase fine craftsmanship and attention to detail, with some featuring colonial-style designs and fine wood finishes.

For those seeking commercial properties, Bolivia presents opportunities in its major cities. Commercial buildings in prime locations, such as a 10-floor high-rise, can cost around $1,500,000. The tallest buildings in Bolivia, reaching 30 to 40 stories, are priced at approximately $60,000,000. These high-rise buildings are often condos, with individual apartments boasting luxury features and commanding prices of up to $225,000 for a 1,500 ft2 unit.

The most expensive properties for rent in Bolivia typically range from $3,000 to $5,000 per month, with some rare cases exceeding $10,000 per month for rentals of properties valued at over $2 million.

Overall, the factors that contribute to the high prices of these properties include their prime locations in exclusive neighbourhoods, commercial areas, and downtown city centres, as well as the construction costs associated with luxury finishes and features.

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