HIMERA: Diseño gráfico para visibilizar la flora del Páramo de Chingaza

Abstract

The Himera project arises from the need to communicate the importance of the flora of the Chingaza páramo and its direct relationship with the water system that supplies Bogotá, through visual strategies designed to connect with young audiences. Páramos are key ecosystems that ensure climate balance and water supply but face growing threats from climate change and human expansion. In this context, graphic design is proposed as a medium capable of translating scientific knowledge into accessible and meaningful communicative experiences. The project’s objective was to develop an interactive digital resource that combines illustration, interactivity, and gamification to promote environmental awareness among young people aged 17 to 23. A qualitative methodology with a research-creation approach was used, integrating theoretical inquiry, visual analysis, and practical experimentation through four stages: collection, analysis, prototyping, and testing. A documentary review and surveys were conducted to understand young audiences’ visual consumption habits. Based on this, an immersive experience was designed around missions within a 3D environment. The prototype was developed on Spatial.io as a gamified virtual gallery, where users explore the páramo’s biodiversity through visual and narrative challenges. The pilot test showed that all participants acquired new knowledge about the flora of the páramo and its role in Bogotá’s water regulation. The experience was perceived as clear, engaging, and meaningful. Himera demonstrates that graphic design, combined with immersive technology, can effectively mediate between emotion and environmental knowledge, fostering awareness and appreciation of high-mountain ecosystems.