The city of El Alto was erected recently. Until 1987, it was not considered an independent settlement, but was a suburb of the highest mountain capital in the world - La Paz. That is why nobody was paying attention to architecture. Gray pale buildings were a usual picture of this area. It continued till the arrival of the young architect Freddy Mamani to El Alto.

He was surprised by the look of the city and decided to change it. At first, Mamani was painting pictures on the facades. Locals liked the idea and were supporting the man.

The success came to the young architect when the local wealthy merchant ordered to design the house. He wanted to have something original. This is how the first building in the “cholet” style appeared. It was a fusion of forms, colors, and architectural techniques made by Freddy Mamani.

The name “cholet” is a combination of two words: chalet and cholo. Earlier, it was the derogatory name for the locals, but it changed its meaning in the 20th century. Now, this is the name for the inhabitants of El Alto.

Today, the city has 70 houses in this style. Besides, Mamani designed Cholet buildings for Peru and Brazil. People like this unusual architectural style so much.

In 2020, Freddy Mamani designed the first large hotel in El Alto.

It takes from three to four years to build one house in the Cholet style. First, people need to create the concept and design. After that, they select the materials, then – build houses. All the houses have the same construction. The first floor is for commercial premises, the second one – for parties and meetings. The third one is apartments that can be rent. The fourth floor is a large apartment of the owner.

The “Cholet” house is a symbol of El Alto's development and success. As the architect says, this is the step into a beautiful future.