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Between the late 19th century and the early 20th century many Italians immigrated into Argentina. They tended to cluster around a port named La Boca and eventually it became an Italian town. The Italian town was characterized by colorful houses. However, originally this was motivated by economic reasons rather than aesthetical consideration. To save money, those Italians built "conventillo" by recycling whatever junks available in the shipyard, and also painted the houses using the leftover paint from the port. "Conventillo," which means tenement or shared housing, were long houses with small rooms and a common patio. Today "Conventillo" is a protected historic district.

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