Exploring Bolivian Arqui-Urban Utopias

The visions presented in this edition invite us to consider arqui-urban approaches that do not arise from ex nihilo invention, but from the generational transmission of spatial-temporal knowledge and techniques. In the pursuit of utopia, these approaches reveal and question the ethical sense in the sociospace. Under this framework, the present works allow us to glimpse three central and critical aspects for the debate in Bolivian urbatectonic practice.

The first aspect is generational transmission and creativity, recognizing the high value of accumulated knowledge up to the current period, conceived by predecessors who sought to project utopias according to their own processes and challenges. At this point, the construction of knowledge also revives ancient techniques to update them in the present time, thus projecting a perpetual reinvention of utopia. This aspect is connected with the second relevant theme, which is the inspiration from utopian visions, focusing on the creation of self-sufficient, efficient cities in harmony with nature. This vision discusses aspects such as densification, sustainability, deregulation, and urban inequality.

The third relevant aspect is the proposal of inclusive planning, advocating for the incorporation of a gender perspective in self-construction and sustainable and accessible elements, promoting the transformation of cities into more habitable and just spaces. Lastly, this visual and reflective compendium invites us to rethink the gap between utopian planning and its tangible implementation, highlighting the importance of proposing critical ideas with a continuous ethical commitment.

foreword written by

MsC. Vania Calle
Architect, Lecturer, and Researcher