GIDA in the news!

Philippe was interviewed by The National to share some thoughts about Freddy Manami’s work. This Peruvian architect is well known for his cholets.

To quote The National : cholets are “(A) neologism coined by combining the words chalet and chola (the colourful local garbs and the women who wear them), a home designed in the cholets style is distinguishable by the sheer frenzy of its vibrant colours, swirling patterns and symbolic iconography. The zigzag recesses, circular windows and geometric reliefs are all symbolic of the pantheon of the Aymara’s ancestral Incan gods.”

According to Philippe: “The colourful cholets remind us that architecture is contextual. The homes wouldn’t be more than a kitschy surprise if they were built outside the Andean region, but in their original cultural context, they become a tool for the expression of people’s identity. [In addition to] the benefit of increasing tourism, to me the biggest strength of Mamani’s work is to send a new message, something like: ‘Hey, look, we have been marginalised for centuries, but now we are proud to show the world who we really are’…”.

You can read the full paper on The National.

Picture credit: The National – AP Photos.