A welcoming experience of Panama awaits with my custom mat.
Beginning sketch of Panama.
Panama
I began my Welcome Mat project with a precedent study of Panama. Through the information I gathered I developed a concept of Pause and Experience!
The majority of the population of Panama now reside in urban environments and this welcome mat will help provide them with a way to experience the roots and foundations of their country.
The idea is to take a moment to experience Panama through your feet. So take off your shoes and feel your way through Panama.
Data:
*Panama was founded in 1519 and is today a fusion of races and traditions.
*The country has Pre-Colombian Heritage/Spanish and Caribbean Influences
*The population consists of 70% Mestizo, 14% Amerindian and West Indian Mix, 10% Caucasian, 6% Amerindian
*29% of the country's land are considered National Parks
*The country has beaches, mountains which are part of the Continental Divide, and rainforest's.
*The Panama Canal is located here connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and is a main portal for trade
*The country is surrounded by two oceans- the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean
*The highest percentage of the work force is in Agriculture
*The main agriculture is rice, corn, sugar, oranges, and bananas
* A natural resource is copper
*Mahogany, Cativo, and Cedar grow in abundance
*The Capital is Panama City and over 1/2 of the population lives there
*Clothing and textiles are a main export- one of the Popular styles is Mola hand sewn by the Kuna women
* Much of the Cuisine is influenced by the Caribbean and South American-tamales, empinadas, and plantains
*Popular music is Rock and Roll and Hispanic
I developed a Mat that evokes all the senses in an inviting way. The first block is filled with rice, something we don't usually feel with our feet but is an amazing new experience, then warm water filled with orange rinds that feel strangely wonderful on your feet and as you squish them the orange smell is released into the air, the next step is into lush greenery that is watered by your dripping feet, and then onto a squishy pillow to dry your feet and bounce you into the home....hope all that experience Panama enjoy it!
The majority of the population of Panama now reside in urban environments and this welcome mat will help provide them with a way to experience the roots and foundations of their country.
The idea is to take a moment to experience Panama through your feet. So take off your shoes and feel your way through Panama.
Data:
*Panama was founded in 1519 and is today a fusion of races and traditions.
*The country has Pre-Colombian Heritage/Spanish and Caribbean Influences
*The population consists of 70% Mestizo, 14% Amerindian and West Indian Mix, 10% Caucasian, 6% Amerindian
*29% of the country's land are considered National Parks
*The country has beaches, mountains which are part of the Continental Divide, and rainforest's.
*The Panama Canal is located here connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and is a main portal for trade
*The country is surrounded by two oceans- the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean
*The highest percentage of the work force is in Agriculture
*The main agriculture is rice, corn, sugar, oranges, and bananas
* A natural resource is copper
*Mahogany, Cativo, and Cedar grow in abundance
*The Capital is Panama City and over 1/2 of the population lives there
*Clothing and textiles are a main export- one of the Popular styles is Mola hand sewn by the Kuna women
* Much of the Cuisine is influenced by the Caribbean and South American-tamales, empinadas, and plantains
*Popular music is Rock and Roll and Hispanic
I developed a Mat that evokes all the senses in an inviting way. The first block is filled with rice, something we don't usually feel with our feet but is an amazing new experience, then warm water filled with orange rinds that feel strangely wonderful on your feet and as you squish them the orange smell is released into the air, the next step is into lush greenery that is watered by your dripping feet, and then onto a squishy pillow to dry your feet and bounce you into the home....hope all that experience Panama enjoy it!
