Stories from El Edén
Role: Project Coordinator & Art Director
Institution: Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Year: 2000 – 2022
Project Type: Creative production, cultural preservation, environmental storytelling (VR)
Project Summary
Stories from El Edén is an immersive virtual reality experience inspired by the myths and beliefs of the Kichwa community of El Edén, located in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
The project seeks to preserve indigenous oral traditions and promote environmental awareness through interactive storytelling.
My key contributions
- Led project coordination across design, research, production, and community engagement.
- Directed the visual identity and art direction of the VR experience, ensuring cultural and aesthetic coherence throughout.
- Oversaw character design (including mythological spirits like Sacha Runa and Amazanga), scenario development, and the emotional tone of the narrative.
- Supervised user testing and iterative improvements to enhance UX clarity and narrative flow.
- Facilitated communication between USFQ’s design team, the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, and the El Edén community.
Experience Features
- VR interactive journey set in a low-poly Amazonian environment.
- Multiple narrative outcomes based on the user’s behavior: from contemplative observation to transgression and supernatural punishment.
- Characters include endemic Amazonian animals and mythological guardians of the forest.
- Educational outreach and capacity-building workshops were held in the community to ensure local engagement and ownership.
Impact
This experience introduced virtual reality as an innovative learning tool in a remote indigenous context, offering immersive educational experiences. The project also raised critical awareness about the biodiversity and ecological vulnerability of the Yasuní region. Moreover, it illuminated the complex dialogue between ancestral knowledge and modern technology, highlighting both tensions and synergies in the intersection of tradition and innovation.
Project process
1. Cultural Immersion and Oral History Collection
The team initiated the project by traveling to the El Edén community in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve. We conducted interviews with elders to collect oral traditions, myths, and beliefs of the Kichwa people. This phase aimed to preserve intangible cultural heritage through direct interaction with community members and contextual understanding of their environment.
2. Environmental and Biodiversity Research
Parallel to cultural immersion, the team documented the exceptional biodiversity of the Yasuní region. Research included endemic flora and fauna and their symbolic significance in Kichwa mythology. This deepened the project’s ecological foundation and supported the integration of environmental messaging into the experience.
3. Experience Design and Narrative Development
Based on the myths collected and environmental themes, the team developed an immersive VR narrative. The storyline revolved around the spirits Amazanga and Sacha Runa, guardians of the jungle, and offered multiple endings depending on user behavior. Game mechanics were designed to reflect the consequences of human action on nature, encouraging contemplation and respect for biodiversity.
4. Production and Technological Implementation
The project team created 3D models of Amazonian animals and forest spirits in a low-poly aesthetic, developed immersive environments like the salt lick (“saladero”), and implemented interactive dynamics using VR tools. The experience was optimized for headsets and designed for children aged 6 to 13, combining accessibility with emotional depth.
5. Testing and Community Engagement
User testing with university students helped refine usability and narrative clarity. The project was then presented to the El Edén community, where reactions varied from fascination to hesitation. Teachers received VR training to integrate the experience into education, and a website was launched to disseminate the experience beyond the local context.
Team
Gabriela Pérez
Project Coordinator & Art Director
As Project Coordinator and Art Director, I oversaw the general execution of the project, leading the team from conceptual development to community presentation. I also directed the project’s visual identity and artistic strategy, ensuring a culturally respectful, meaningful, and engaging experience for both local and external audiences.
Mark Bueno
Lead Developer & Interaction Designer
Mark led the technical development of the VR experience. He was responsible for designing the narrative structure and interactive flow, creating the storyboard, and programming the entire virtual environment. His work ensured that the immersive journey was intuitive, engaging, and aligned with the project’s cultural and ecological goals.
Andrés Borja
Animator & Digital Artist
Andrés supported the creation of immersive visual assets by illustrating, modeling, and animating the various narrative elements within the VR experience. His creative input was essential in building a consistent visual aesthetic and enhancing user engagement through dynamic storytelling.
Diego Llerena
Animator & Digital Artist
Diego contributed to the visual development of the VR world, working on character design, digital illustration, 3D modeling, and animation. He played a key role in bringing the myths of the Amazon to life with a vibrant and respectful visual language rooted in indigenous symbolism.
Tomi Sugahara
Logistics Coordinator & Community Liaison
Tommy managed the project’s logistics and coordinated fieldwork with the El Edén community. His role was essential in establishing trust with community members, organizing site visits, and facilitating the local implementation of the experience in a respectful and collaborative manner.
Raquel Acevedo
Visual Documentarian & Photographer
Raquel was in charge of the visual documentation of the entire project. She captured photographs and audiovisual material during field visits, workshops, and testing sessions. Her work not only served as a historical record but also supported the communication and dissemination of the project’s impact.
Andrés Parra
Web Supervisor
Responsible for overseeing the design and development of the official Historias del Edén website, created by Interactive Media students. His role ensured that the experience could be shared and accessed beyond the physical installation, providing users with a rich and informative digital platform to explore the project’s background, creative process, and impact.
