Making sound design more accessible to expand the aesthetic possibilities of media art and architecture
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The problem
While light is embraced in ambient media art and architecture , sound is often avoided , considered a distraction , even a nuisance . Additionally , the expense and complexity of the coding required to network audio devices can deter the use of sound installations within art and the built environment .
Our solution
Providing a cost-effective creative coding solution makes sound installations more broadly accessible , says Associate Professor Oliver Bown from UNSW ’ s School of Art & Design . Alleviating the more onerous technical difficulties allows the emphasis to return to design .
Oliver Bown is an electronic music producer , digital artist and practice-led researcher working with creative technologies . He explores how artists , designers and musicians can use advanced computing technologies , such as AI , evolutionary and adaptive systems , and music informatics , to produce complex creative works .
He has collaborated with researchers from the University of Technology Sydney ( UTS ), immersive and electronics producers Bitscope Designs , and via knowledge exchange with UK partners Squidsoup , a leading media arts collective , to develop HappyBrackets , a digital platform for creating sound installations .
The creative coding toolkit simplifies the networking of audio devices , making sound installations more accessible , affordable and scalable . It works with small electronic speakers , such as DIADs that communicate over wifi and run on batteries , making intricate installations easy to program and mount .
By removing the reliance on complex coding , the platform opens up greater aesthetic possibilities for using sound within the creative industries and built environment , for example , in festivals , music performances and events , commercial façades and foyers , and creative arts venues , such as theatres , galleries and museums , as well as other public spaces . It capitalises on the huge potential for sound to become as highly valued as light within media art and architecture .
Installation view of Spiral exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum , 2019 , Oliver Bown .
Photo : Ryan Hernandez .