pablo zunzunegui: phytopia

phytopia by pablo zunzuneguisan francisco-based architect pablo zunzunegui has developed ‘phytopia’ a series of speculative explorations that take place in the amazon. by exploring the imperatives of reforestation and neo-indigenous urbanization possibilities through the implementation of a choreographed symbiosis between machine and amazonian ecologies. in order to demonstrate the processes of these qualities, a narrative will propose the system from the beginning to the end by proposing a site located at the border between brazil and bolivia, which provides the perfect example of how a rapidly-developing countries in south america deplete their resources indiscriminately.

in the attempt to sustain the activities of existing natural conditions of the amazon for either rainforest or human occupation, a series of machines will work as mechanized canopies to open and close, creating a variation of porosity, maximizing sun exposure through the day and minimizing rainwater impact to the ground during heavy rains. built using CAD/CAM techniques with clear acrylic, the human settlement portion is manifested as handcrafted wood structures clad in sticks collected from nature.

view from ground level

underground

amazon+machine+human settlements

model, pneumatic system located at the core

model, plant vessels containing plants

final perspective unfurling canopy sequence

time lapse – front & lateral views

drawings, backlit mylar

drawings, five scenarios

in order to recreate the sequences in which the development would occur, speculation of the outcomes will as a result of the continuation of the following scenarios, causing the machines to stop at some point when the amazon will thrive:

1. the untouched amazon 2. depletion of the brazilian amazon forest beginning stages 3. the brazilian side has been depleted 4. neo-indigenous migration begins 5. the new civilization has been established 6. when all human life is gone

a chronology: utopia to dystopia

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