New site..New challenges..Same vision
On our way from Quito to Tena, capital of Napo Province...we stop by the new site that Kallari has purchased and the settings is just magnificent, with views of layered mountains. Two creeks defined the edge of the site to a pizza shaped lot down to the river with a combination of the meandering road and the steep slope...it is a very different experience to design the submission through images and descriptions in comparison to actually experiencing the whole procession to get to and to stand on the edge defining it .The intention of this visit is to rework some of the design program/intent to fit the new programs and needs of the Kallari group and to react to the new constraints of the newly purchased site...The presentation last night was great as we have at least 20-24 people showed up wit the team blazing off and Mee Leng filming and recording the process …A Successful Presentation and from what we were told by the local architects that the Kallari leaders was very happy and impressed by the presentation and it seems that the synergy of the teams improved as we have spent some time together to know each other. Yesterday we were schedule to visit a lagoon in the Amazon jungle for leisure and the hour ride there was pretty rough….11 people attended the gathering and it was pouring while we were there…we had some snacks at a pavilion by the waterfall overlooking the gorgeous view of the Napo River ….and of course with a Tarantula nesting above us on the ceiling of the pavilion….A few could not resist the cool refreshing water and jumped in for a swim while Mee leng and I was busy exploring the scenery. We also met a furry friend; a stray skinny dog…and we were busy seeing what we could give to this new friend with what we brought….he was pretty satisfied after 2 small packs of crackers and some tuna in a can... that made its day…
We were introduced a term from the Kallari elders called ‘Pachamama’ with a literal translation to be "Mother Earth", a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. with the notion of embodying more nature into the design of the Chocolate Factory. Everyday is a new chance to be inspired by the Amazonian culture as there is so much to learn from the people, culture and nature here in the Andes….
- Teo and Mee Leng -
We were introduced a term from the Kallari elders called ‘Pachamama’ with a literal translation to be "Mother Earth", a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. with the notion of embodying more nature into the design of the Chocolate Factory. Everyday is a new chance to be inspired by the Amazonian culture as there is so much to learn from the people, culture and nature here in the Andes….
- Teo and Mee Leng -