Inspired by the 2023 Biennale’s theme, “Land Architecture, Land Urbanism: City of Mountain Ranges, Waterways, and Wind Breezes – Drawing of the Seoul’s Next 100 years”, Sound of Architecture creates a soundscape in the hearth of the city, expressing the deep connection between shape, sound and perception.

Sound of Architecture is an interactive installation designed and built by the students of the USI Università della Svizzera Italiana, Academia di Architettura di Mendrisio during the 2022 fall semester led by professor Ricardo Blumer with the supervision of Arch. Dong Joon Lee, co-founder of the Stocker Lee studio.

The installation consists of 23 wooden volumes, disposed in space in a linear sequence, so to make a crossable tunnel.

Each section is an individual piece, designed and built by its creator but becomes part of a bigger system when connected to the others. Each student has been given a dimensional limit but has been encouraged to experiment with different shapes and colors.

A soundtrack was specially composed by Nadir Vassena, composer and teacher at the conservatory of Lugano.

Visitors are encouraged to walk through the installation and look towards the sky, in order to experience the connection between the colourful shapes, the day light shining through and the music soundtrack. In fact each volume will contain a sound system that allows the surfaces to vibrate to become a resonating system that amplifies sounds depending on the geometry.

Atelier Blumer