Move Sound Together
Harmonographics
Communication as an environmental experience.
Impulse is a scalable, adaptive, architecturally responsive sound and light installation.
Sound space
Impulse uses an array of custom modules distributed throughout a darkened architectural space, transforming it into a generative, multi sensory environment.
Each module emits a unique message- a sound, letter, number, or a phrase- in pulses of sound and light. Through this process, abstract sequences, polyrhythms, fragmented sentences or aleatoric melodies randomly emerge and dissolve across the space.
The architectural whole breaks apart and reassembles into briefly perceived fragments of acoustic perspectives. Light and sound surround the audience, reconstructing the space as an environment of distributed moments.
Impulse 001 was installed at the International Design Festival Dundee in the huge open floor of the abandoned West Ward Print Factory
From factory to forest
West Ward Works is a former DC Thomson printing factory in Dundee, Scotland, that closed in 2010. Originally used to print newspapers, comics and magazines, the cavernous space of the empty factory had been reclaimed to house the International Design Festival in Dundee, 2016.
In response to the buildings’ print heritage and unique architecture, 26 modules were made. Each module emitted a unique morse coded “letter“ in pulses of sound and light to represent a letter from the latin alphabet, creating an enormous “print tray” across one floor of the building.
How it works
Each of the 26 Impulse modules contained a Raspberry Pi 2 individually programmed to emit a morse- coded letter of the alphabet, connected to a small cluster of LED’s.
Software to generate and control the signal to LED and speakers was developed by Kerry Kidd at Dundee Makerspace
Modules connected to their own mini speaker, power and placed at the base of 26 columns around the factory floor with the LED’s directed upwards to light the column.
Credits
Concept and design: Tom deMajo
Creative Production: Malath Abbas
Electronics programming: Kerry Kidd
Commissioned by: Dundee Design Festival 2016
Supported by: UNESCO City of Design Dundee, NEoN Digital Arts