House Type - Palafito

A palafito is a stilt village or dwelling erected on bodies of water. The name Venezuela, meaning "Little Venice," may be due to these Palafitos, which reminded Amerigo Vespucci of Venice when he explored Lake Maracaibo. In the late 19th century numerous palafitos were built in Chilean cities like Castro, Chonchi and other towns in the Chiloé Archipelago and are now considered a typical element of Chilotan architecture.

Palafitos also exist in Colombia, Chile and Brazil, where they're called palafitas.

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palafito