Peak in every open door.

Architecture is a recurring theme in any writings about Valparaiso.  There’s the superficial level, which talks about the colours that explode across each street.  Doors become canvases and walls are micro galleries.  If you delve a little deeper there’s a more profound level that comes from the financial situation of the residents here as well as the age of the structures.

 

Many times we’ve walked past buildings that have been standing since the late 1800s and time, termites and tremors have had their way with these edifices, which share walls and staggered rooftops along the entire length of the street. 

Our favourite level of architecture here is the can do of design.  We’ve been in restaurants where all the walls have been striped down leaving just the framework of roughly hewn hardwood.  Even though it’s easy to see where the bedrooms of a house used to be there is still a feeling of openness.

Today we stumbled upon an amazing shop.  That’s the beauty of Valpo.  You don’t have to know what you’re looking for it's almost like it'll find you.

What was once a bedroom has been transformed into a workshop, kitchenette and change room.  With Valparaiso’s low rainfall it’s possible to do some amazing renovations.  The roof has been removed from this room and replaced with  laserlite  allowing for the plants in the bathtub to flourish and create a perfect atrium.