Tapir 3D Puzzle

At the beginning of 2020, I worked with a member of the association Amigos de la Naturaleza del Pacífico Central y Sur to design educational materials for workshops on wildlife conservation, which she imparts to elementary school students. The workshops are centered around the protection of the Tapirus bairdii, or the Central American tapir, and thus are directed to communities that coexist with this tapir species.

The association is working with a North American foundation to pilot these workshops in Costa Rica; in the future, they will also be imparted in other countries around Central America.

I was hired to design a 3D life-sized puzzle of the Central American tapir to complement what is taught during the workshops. On the one hand, the puzzle serves as a model for students to gain a deeper understanding of the species. On the other, it is an opportunity to foster cooperation and communication among the participants through the assembly process.

Based on the images, I designed the puzzle pieces on Adobe Illustrator such that they can be laser cut, most likely out of wood, given its durability, the ease with which it can be painted, and the fact that it's more sustainable than acrylic sheets (for this project, I did some research into sheets made from recycled materials for laser cutting, but could not find any available in Costa Rica).

The process of finding the right measurements and shapes for the pieces required several tests and prototypes in various materials. At the moment, the design is ready to be laser cut and tested in its final material and full size, but unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the process has been put on hold. Once it can be resumed, the pieces will be cut, painted, and given the appropriate finishes such that they resemble the colors of the tapir and can endure multiple uses.