Wav.field

wav.field is a public listening and meditative sound space, as part of the Market Street Prototyping Festival. The gently screened shelter offers a lightly-removed environment where an immersive soundscape plays original compositions along morning-afternoon-night. Speakers perched from 6 surrounding nodes direct music into the geode-space where the sound waves can also be felt through touch. Music vibrates across the light/ridged screen surfaces of the space, especially at high notes in the scores, giving a further sense of immersion. The soothing sounds become a kind of siren song for respite along the busy thoroughfare.

Re-imagining sidewalk use with this subtle but strong gesture, gives the opportunity for people from different walks to take a moment of respite for themselves, together. This prototype aims to demonstrate how the city can creatively weave preventative and holistic care into the urban fabric through accessible, artful, and relaxing ways.

The space, both formally and acoustically, was influenced by the sound. Through various iterations and work with acoustic engineers the pavilion gradually took on a more dome like shape. With the aim of a surround sound speaker spacing.

We got to work with Structural Engineers from ARUP, who were very helpful with affirming our design as well as input for how to improve it and also for running the structure through their simulation to confirm it was sound.

The most difficult material to define was the skin, as it needed to be rigid, porous(for wind), beautiful and light enough for both the structure and for the sound waves to be able to move it. The skin ended up being stucco lath. The other materials were also economic but nice construction materials in: electrical conduit pipes, zip ties, plywood, and the custom made steel joints.

The difficulty and smartness of the structure is all in the custom made joint connectors which we fabricated at TechShop, with the water jet, mig welder and metal working tools. We designed these in the 3D software Rhino.

We fabricated and installed the prototype with the help of friends and family. A big thank you to them!