HOPE

Innovation is hope
Master program semester project
Year: 2009-10

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Bringing new energy to a millenarian culture pressed by modern life and ways.

The Totora museum is part of a larger project that seeks to insufflate new energy in the Uro culture of the floating island of Titicaca lake by challenging the Totora (reed) craftsmanship to co-create basic infrastructure for their daily life as well as social life.
The environment of the Uro culture is almost completely renew every 6 months since everything is made of Totora. Because of this their oral tradition and craft knowledge is the base of their continuity. The museum is an open structure that celebrates this tradition connecting the environment of the altiplanic lake with the Uro people. The museum structure consists of 86 ‘‘fingers’’ made completely out of Totora whose shape and construction is based on the boats that the Uros have been doing for centuries, with this the museum itself becomes the sample of Totora culture while articulating a dedicated space for this amazing culture to continue.