Spring 2023 Thesis Research

Abstract

The Peruvian Amazon is facing increasing deforestation rates due to many threats such as slash-and-burn agriculture, logging, coca plantations, and illegal mining. This project uses literature reviews and interviews to trace the issues of deforestation and explores speculative design if we can coexist with ecosystems in the Peruvian Amazon without endangering them further by centering indigenous knowledge. Various indigenous communities like the Asháninka have been forced to sell their lands to guerrillas and drug traffickers. In addition to ethical issues, this threatens the Amazon by depriving the strong and loving relationship with the environment and inducing extractive measures with nature. Establishing sustainable measures like the cultivation of cacao beans is a great beginning to repatriate indigenous communities control of their lands, minimize the typical slash-and-burn agricultural techniques that distress rainforests, and encourage people to pursue sustainable products. The result of this thesis is composed of two parts, a book design that tells the story of the Asháninka people and a speculative design in the form of a chocolate packaging to provoke the present situation and envision possible futures.