One Pacha One Space One Time One Consciousness
Community + design
2018 Travel Research Book
Cover. Horizon of a timeline - 2018
Miriam Malpartida S.
One Pacha
Design in travels
SELF-INITIATED TRAVEL RESEARCH
List of visited places Arequipa Ayacucho Cajamarca Chavin Chiclayo Cuzco Huanchaco Huaraz Ica Lunahuana Pisco Trujillo San Andres Socota
A day in Social Permaculture class. Lunahuana, Lima - Peru.
The Quechua word “pacha� doesn’t have a direct translation to English, it is instead a bringing together of three of our concepts, an integration of space, time, and consciousness at the same time. One Pacha is a self-initiated research project which pushed me to travel to the country where I was born in, Peru. I spent some time in familiar places, but most of my time was spent in places I had never been to before. Being embedded in the culture were I was born after 11 years of distance, didn't only allow many aspects of myself which were forgotten to flourish again, it also allowed me to experience life from a different perspective and potentiate my skills as a designer, community artist and creator. One Pacha is the places I visited, the time I spent in each of those places, and the people I met during my stay documented for everyone to see in 2018. One Pacha is the trip I did from my mind to my heart, a reconnection to my roots.
Parking Concept drivers
Stable
Outdoor School
Hanging Bridge Restaurant
Planting Area
Admin - Storage
Orchard Volunteer’s House
Bike trail Food Forest Private Bungalows
Mixing Pond Classroom
Rock Climbing Area
Camping Area
AREQUIPA | BIO-CONSTRUCTION
"When your laptop breaks down... My trip began with a surprise - my laptop broke down. At first, I was disappointed as I thought to have my laptop was critical. At the moment my set of creative tools consisted of two sketchbooks and a few pens, to which I added colour pencils. I got involved in a 20 hectares mixed-use bio-construction project. Bio-construction aims to use materials found in nature, such as adobe, stone, wood, cane, willow, earth and roots. In Peru, almost half of the houses are built with adobe, these are mainly in rural areas. I volunteered for a part of the shower area construction, learned about different types of bamboo weaving, how to pour foundations, and came up with a concept proposal for the whole site. The river dissects the site in two halves, allowing for different activities and types of tourism to occur throughout. The river, as circulation and a mass element, behaves as an artery. The bike trail as the main organizational artery on the site, organizes program and activities around it. Opposite page. River as an artery. Colour pencils and pen.
Camping Area
Camping Area
Adobe House
Orchard Golpa Garden
Camping Area
Aviary
Recreation Room
Room Room
Dining Room Kitchen
LUNAHUANA | SOCIAL PERMACULTURE
Design by one of the artists on site
...you can mix adobe and plant food" The opportunity presented itself to go Tierra Langla, an ecological village in Lunahuana, to take a Social Permaculture certification course, to learn the social aspect of creating a sustainable community. Lunahuana is located 2 hours from Lima, Peru, city were I was born in, and it is known for its adventure sports attracting many travellers year-round. I learned about what it implies to run a community which aims to be autonomous through permaculture design systems, principles inspired in the patterns found in natural ecosystems. Tierra Langla allowed me to see how differently people decide to live their lifes. I planted vegetables in the orchard, mixed adobe, and met many new friends and colleagues. The connection I had to the earth was a reminder of the hours I spent playing with the mud as a child, building mini-cities and mini-houses for bugs to be in; my first attempt at being an architect.
Opposite page. Luna memory. Colour pencils and pen.
SOCOTA | MEMORY OF A PLACE
...you can draw a feeling" Socota is a high-jungle small town in the Cajamarca province, north of Peru. To arrive to the town one must pass through Cutervo, a highland town, on a 40-minute dirt road drive. Once a year its people hold the Candelaria fair, a week-long celebration showcasing their traditions and culture. All of town and people from around gather for the occasion. Spaniard conquistadors didn't only impose Spanish as the main language in Peru back in the 16th century. Bullfighting, a main event of the fair, is an imposed tradition which inhabitants have made their own over the years. The San Antonio mountain is regarded by the locals as the apu who takes care of its people. Apu is the quechua word for “mountain god�, and as the caretaker of the town, it sees it all. San Antonio's tears bring life to the town during the event, yet it hurts. Its tears are a reminder of inherited traditions yearning to evolve, and of place juxtaposing culture. The sky joins the mountain god with grey clouds. Opposite page. Place juxtaposes culture. Colour pencils and pen.
Pilco Ecolodge Plan
Events Kitchen Suites
Cafeteria Bridge Pucquio Hotel Entry
Recreation Room
Section
Cabins
SOCOTA | THREADS
...you can learn about almost forgotten techniques" After spending a couple of weeks in Socota socializing with the locals, I designed a textile with Lindomira, a farmer from a close by village called Pucquio, quechua for “water eye”, using a preinca weaving technique called callua. This ancient technology allows women to create ponchos and blankets, amongst others, to dress and warm their families. Lindomira's weavers generation is probably the last one to use this method as most children and teenagers are migrating to Lima for professional studies and to find better opportunities to support their families. From textiles to architecture, I was concurrently working with the family I stayed with in developing a concept for an eco-hotel, cafeteria, restaurant, and bakery. The project threads a major attraction in the area, Pilco waterfalls, with the Pucquio town through the use of water. Adapted to culture and context, inspired in colours and experiences; Pilco Ecolodge threads the town’s character into itself, for its guests, and for the rest of the town. Opposite page. Pucquio is life. Colour pencils and pen.
Pilco Ecolodge
SOCOTA | TURNING POINT
...you can capture a city's soul" Pilco Ecolodge was the perfect excuse for me to capture in a drawing some of the everyday moments of the place that became my home for over a month. Mototaxis playing loud music, kids playing on the street, alive chicken transactions at your doorstep, farmers discussing their harvest, that 5:00pm every-day bakery smell, celebration and dancing, sports being played on the street; my time in Socota was coming to an end. The Virgen de la Candelaria celebration marked the beginning of my time in Socota, and while I had planned on staying in town for only a week, I ended up staying for a month. Chalin and his family made my time the most enjoyable, I cannot thank them enough for showing me a part of the world which has been forgotten yet has much to offer. I left with many friends, fantastic learning experiences, and breathtaking landscapes.
Opposite page. Home. Colour pencils and pen.
CAJAMARCA | SCULPTURE DESIGN
...you can create something you never thought you would" Some time spent in Cajamarca’s carnival began to shift the focus of my creations. Inspired by the celebration, I started designing sculptures, as well as plates and utensils. I kept finding so much richness in what the locals knew about their land and what it gives them. At the same time, I got concerned with the fact that much of that knowledge is getting lost through generations. Huambocancha, also known as the Flintstones town, has gained its name because of Rodolfo and his family. Rodolfo, 72 years-old, has been a stone sculptor since he was 7 years-old; his father taught him everything he knows. Rodolfo was kind enough to invite me to stay with him. One day, I was helping his wife harvest potatoes; as I looked at her, she reminded me of a conversation I had with a farmer about how they meditate while sowing seeds, "productive meditation," he said. I knew what I had to do, I asked Rodolfo to help me create something not done before, a native Peruvian woman meditating following eastern models. The sculpture is the merging of two worlds into one. It is access to information and knowledge, it is the meeting of tradition and technology. Opposite page. West meets East. Colour pencils and pen.
LIMA | APUNCHOS
...you can translate drawings into clothing" I had never met a woman with skills as Teresa had. She can crochet without even looking, her hands have memorized the movements as she has been crocheting her whole life, since she was a child. Due to life circumstances, she had to stop studying - what once was a hobby is now her career. So far, I had learned some fundamentals about Andean Cosmovision which emphasizes placing nature at the centre of decision making and life; a concept I was learning through my everyday experience. My love for the mountains together with an understanding of the apu concept, inspired me to create Apunchos. Apus turned into ponchos, ourselves as the mountain eye, ourselves in the mountain. Apunchos are both a poncho and a blanket. So far I've designed 4 ponchos featuring 2 different kinds and techniques for each. San Antonio, Socota's apu, and Misti - the main volcano in Arequipa. Opposite page. San Antonio meets Misti. Colour pencils and pen.
AYACUCHO | CREATING CONTRASTS
...you can draw with chalk" After seeing the north coast and arriving back to Lima, I went to a photograph exhibit about the place which birthed terrorism in the 80's, Ayacucho. The images were very raw and real; I wondered, how is it possible that I was never fully educated in the matter? I had to go. I arrived to Huamanga - Ayacucho in Holy Week, the biggest Holiday of the city, and ended up staying for a month over at Ciriaco's and Victoria; a couple of well-known artisans from the area who use ancient weaving techniques as well as natural dye in their fabrics. Ayacucho is not only known for its dark past, but it's also known for having the most artisans in the country. The contrast between its past and desired future, its sunsets and architecture, its people and place, inspired me to design abstract drawings which talk about such dichotomies. The drawings were used as a guide for local embroiderers to bring to life. The different designs later became a part of a national exhibition of artisans in which Ciriaco participated in. Opposite page. Embroidered dichotomies. Photograph.
HUARAZ | NEW DIRECTION
...you can link with people" Huaraz was the last destination in Peru. So far, I had worked with traditional Peruvian artisans, but Huaraz allowed me to work with and share with contemporary traveller artisans. Travelers from different countries of South America are drawn to Peru for its rich culture and welcoming people, while on the road, they get inspired by everything they encounter turning it into art. Two hours away from Huaraz lies Chavin, an ancient pre-inca town considered to be the most important spiritual centre of its era. The energy of the town is very particular, as if it is frozen in time. Different types of alternative medicine are explored in the area by foreign therapists who are opening up treatment spaces in town. While in Chavin, I worked for a proposal of an Introspection Centre for a local land-owner inspired in the cactuses found in the landscape. The cactus was considered to be sacred medicine, a spiritual bridge to other dimensions. The cactus now becomes a link between the physical and the spiritual, between the times, creating space to reflect. Opposite page. Reflection. Colour pencils and pen.
DrawARY "Water and earth as a common thread, defining my path along the way. Eyes embedded in my creations, it was only a reflection of my selfobservation." I embarked on this trip not fully anticipating all the knowledge it would bring. What I perceived as a misfortune at first (my laptop breaking), ended up being a fantastic catalyst for an exploration of all kinds. Fully relying on drawing and documenting my trip by hand, felt strange but right at the same time. My main canvas, an accordiontype sketchbook, allowed me to thread living experiences in my "drawary" - drawing as a diary. All the designs I created while on this trip were fully self-initiated. Introspection centres, textiles, sculptures, etc; all of it enhanced my outlook on the world as well as that of myself, as a person and designer. This trip put me completely out of my comfort zone, it taught me how to start projects, how to relate to people from very different backgrounds, but most importantly to believe in myself. I want to thank all the people I met during and before my trip, it wouldn't have been possible without you. One Pacha will be alive as long as someone can be inspired from this experience, redefining itself, open to growth, to questioning, to change. One Pacha is community, history, family, playing, healing and creating from the heart.
To be continued ... Some of the artisans I met and worked with.