Sonic Garden sound installation

World’s End, Chelsea 2008
London Festival of Architecture & InTransit Festival
Commissioned by Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
Sound design and engineering by Will Turner-Duffin
photos © Rory Lindsay

The brief was to design a temporary public sound installation for a problematic public area, with the aim of encouraging a more positive community spirit and encouraging people to use the space for relaxation and conversation. I undertook an extensive consultation with the World’s End estate, bringing together groups, focusing the development of the project through the local primary school. Designing sound in a public space, with all the delicate technology that it involves, can be a challenge; however the community were fully onboard, which was the best possible way to protect the installation without any need for invigilation. A garden was chosen as the means to engage people in listening, since it that was what the community really wanted for the space on a permanent basis. Alice Through the Looking Glass’ Talking Flowers made for a good starting point to start the design process with the school children.

The Sonic Garden achieves the points a commission of this kind should achieve: it should work as a piece of art; it has to engage the community, giving them a sense of pride; it has to intrigue and provoke curiosity.  If it’s too esoteric, the community won’t have pride in it – if they can’t access it, they will feel they can’t relate.  In this case, they really could relate. I saw people of all generations touching, listening, looking, discussing. And smiling.
Paul Reeve, Director of Education, Royal Opera House

The Sonic Garden intervention and the Listening Shell (…) demonstrate outstanding contemporary art and design practices  (…. and)  the most cutting-edge technologies
The Sorrell Foundation