Water ecosystem

Water ecosystem celebrates the symbolic role of water in Peru’s diverse wetland ecosystems and cultural heritage. Peru’s capital, Lima, is the world’s second largest desert city with seasonal extremes of water scarcity and floods. Artist, Ana Barboza and architect, Rafael Freyre take inspiration from ancient canal systems created by pre-Colombian societies. In these systems, water was drawn from upstream to provide water security in desert coastal areas. This allowed for agriculture, food production and water purification using natural water treatment technologies.

The wetland is made of reed mats created by the Goicochea family of master weavers and the formation is based on the Lurin Wetlands located approximately thirty kilometres south of Lima. The totora and cattail fibres are plants that grow along Peru’s wetlands and purify the water by absorbing organic matter. Visitors are invited to walk through the wetland to experience this unique ecosystem.

'We are interested in recovering the relationship with the ecosystems of our territory, understanding their interactions and transformations. Likewise, we seek to create a ritual space with water, to restore it’s symbolic value within our communities and daily life.'—Ana Barboza and Rafael Freyre