Level Andar -1

3. Level Andar -1: "The Dead Archive" (1980s) Theme: The Fear of Bureaucracy and Stagnation. Sense Detailed Description Effect on Immersion Vision The level is an endless maze of olive-green metal filing cabinets that stretch to the ceiling. Illumination comes from yellowish incandescent bulbs that barely penetrate the gloom. The carpet is a moldy, worn greenish-brown. Piles of paper seem to have grown organically, forming walls and obstacles. The predominant color is sepia, giving the sensation of being inside an old photograph. The dim lighting and the maze create claustrophobia and disorientation, reinforcing the feeling of time standing still. Audition The sound is dominated by the low, constant hum of the old lamps and the sepulchral silence of the paper. The most important sound is the rhythmic and incessant Thud... Thud... Thud..., the sound of a stamp hitting the air, which serves as a guide (or bait) to the central room. The sound of the stamp is the auditory manifestation of the routine and bureaucracy that has trapped Artur. Smell The smell is of old paper and mold, of stamp ink and stagnation. It is a dense, heavy smell that seems to cling to the throat. In some places, there is a subtle smell of formaldehyde or something mummified. The smell of decay and old paper reinforces the idea that time has stopped on this level. Touch The air is humid and heavy, almost palpable. The carpet is damp and fluffy in places. The paper in the piles is dry and rough, and the metal shelves are cold and rusty. The humidity and mold increase the feeling of being in a forgotten and diseased place. Taste The air has a taste of dust and mold, leaving the mouth dry with the taste of old paper. The feeling of "swallowing" the past.