I’d like to finally complete first stage of the final project: clearly define where am I going and what I want to reach at the end. It was quite a headache for a while, since final project is something turbo serious and you don’t want to mess up at the very beginning.

This path to the final idea might look slightly confusing, but I think sequence of thoughts is quite important and interesting.

The initial idea was to create sound installation which could give orientation in the space effect. Static objects are personified using sound. They could tell stories, create particular soundscape or give a hint while passing through them. Using it in urban context could be an alternative tool for navigation in the city which enriches visual city cognition with hearing experience.

I was always fascinated by timeless marble statues. Trying to imagine what could tell if they were be brought to life. Though Barcelona is city of human statues,  I started looking for marble ones. Looking at angels from Montjuïc cemetery seemed that they frozen with their thoughts. And the place it self, steep slopes of the hillside give Montjuïc its special character, with winding paths and terraced niches looking seawards. But growing industry caused emergence of huge port and busy traffic. While I was visiting the place, noise coming from the street was distracting and overwhelming tranquility of the site. at the time it seemed that the city’s noise drown statues thoughts. And once again the city noise problem was sued.

I love artistic idea of bringing sculptures to life by using sound. And alternative navigation way. But. I’m not sure how relevant problem is. Besides artistic statement, with final project I’d like to go deeper into specific problem and bring it as base for the research. Also I wouldn’t want to move away from the architecture.

Since it was spinning in my head for a while, was several statements attached my attention:

Jose Luis de Vicente’s lecture, where among other things he presented some inspiring projects related with architecture, data visualization and social aspects. Few of them:

  • Living Light – futuristic building facade that displays air quality and public interest in the environment.
  • Nuage Vert – social project where vapour emissions of power plants are illuminated to show the current levels of electricity consumption by local residents. A laser ray traces the cloud during the night time and turn it into a city scale neon sign.
  • environmental health clinic. The project approaches health from an understanding of its dependence on external local environments; rather than on the internal biology and genetic predispositions of an individual.

and goal..

I’m still not sure what kind of shape project should it have. But I’d like to find way how to translate relevant data about the city into understandable, clear and touching language for citizens.

Urban environments and architecture are traditionally described in visual terms, but it is our sense of hearing that assists us in experiencing and navigating through the spaces we inhabit. Likewise, there is no space without sound and no sound without space. Sound is an essential part of social experience, and should be of the most concern to architects, planners and artists alike. This idea borrowed from Tuned City sounds challenging.

Bats are animals which have amazing sense of orientation using echolocation