BUCIUMrest.
BUCIUMrest is an interactive sound installation inspired by a traditional Romanian musical instrument – Bucium. Meant to enhance public creativity, this temporary urban intervention consists of two chambers isolated from the external visual and audio stimuli, but allowing communication between the two spaces by means of sound. In the city of contrasts – Bucharest – it invites people to experience the contrast between tradition and modernity, openness and intimacy, noise and silence.
The project was located in the centre of Bucharest in a relatively small public park surrounded by noisy roads from all sides. Nonetheless, it is always full of kids, who make the place very lively. This park is so full of activities and noises, that a temporary escape into quietness would provide much desired contrast. That is exactly what BUCIUMrest aimed to do. Remaining active by character, it offers people an experience of interaction with each other without the interference of the world.
BUCIUMrest consists of two chambers, each allowing one person to come inside and play a musical instrument: low-pitched wind chimes made of steel pipes, and an experimental Japanese harp made of plywood and guitar strings. The instruments were designed and build on site by the participants of the workshop with the help of musical advisers.
Diana Taukin
Architect
Poznan based architect, landscape and furniture designer from Minsk, Belarus. Her experience mainly lies in landscape architecture and design of urban furniture. Having acquired a degree in Architecture/ Urban Planning, she worked in several landscape bureaus. She took part in such landscape projects as Children's Hospice in Borovlany, restoration of historic park Ostankino in Moscow, park Skitskie Prudy in Sergiyev Posad, and other public and residential projects. She has tutored two interdisciplinary workshops on MEDs and EASA. She is currently studying Furniture Design in Poznan with the focus on interior furniture, such as Free Family collection, which was exhibited at arena DESIGN in Poznan in March 2018.
In her projects, she strives for an interdisciplinary approach, visual simplicity and multifunctionality.
Liana Gheorghiță
Architect
An architecture graduate from Bucharest (‘Ion Mincu’ University of Architecture and Urbanism).
Location.
Kieran Heather
Musical Advisor
A musician and interdisciplinary artist from Glasgow, Scotland. He performs with several groups using a variety of instruments ranging from traditional folk oddities such as the singing saw through to modern modular synthesizers. He co-created the cross-platform arts project Let’s Talk About Space which utilizes live music, animation, film, poetry, graphic design, screen printing and interactive AV technology as a means of exploring astronomy, scientific literacy and promoting alternative methods of science education. He’s currently developing interactive sound installations using modular synthesizers that allow audiences to explore space and architecture through movement and sound.
His past works have included collaborations with Warner Bros, Moog Music Inc, Moogfest, Korg, Glasgow Science Centre and recordings with early pioneers of electronic music Silver Apples.
BUCIUMrest had to solve three main issues: reverberation of sound in the inner space, blocking the outside noise and audial connection of the chambers. Based on the shape of a traditional Romanian horn the inner space is designed to prolong and strengthen the reflection of sound. Chambers are made of bendable plywood and solid polycarbonate that help to reflect the sound. In addition to their sound properties, these materials allow to easily build curved shapes and create a contrast between modern technology and tradition. The walls and the doors are made of multiple layers of hard and heavy materials and soft sound absorbing parts to provide the necessary level of noise isolation. The chambers are connected by four cardboard tubes, that let sound travel freely from one chamber to the other, but keep the person on the receiving end invisible.
All that combined gives people a new shared experience of communication by means of musical improvisation. Hidden enough to improvise freely, people feel more confident in their experiments. At the same time, it enables them to create together.
The workshop included not only construction and design but also had an educational, experimental part. We wanted to build a bridge between architecture and music, bring musical and architectural professionals closer together, exchange knowledge and share perception of space. As a first step, participants made simple instruments from recycled or found objects and played it with the accompaniment of Paul Drăgușin, a musician from Bucharest. The next step was the design of the interactive parts for the installation, that was guided by Kieran Heather, an interdisciplinary artist from Glasgow.
The interdisciplinary nature of the workshop allowed it to be not only educational for MEDS participants, but to engage the local inhabitants as well. The queues of kids to the installation straight after the end of construction were the best proof of success.
Tutors.
Paul Drăgușin
Musical Advisor
A musician from Bucharest, Romania.
Participants.
Mark Camilleri (Malta), Melis Dağ (Turkey), Denis Dalladaku (Kosovo), Jelena Jelačić (Serbia), Anči Jovanović (Croatia), Xara Kaika (Greece), Karla Kovačević (Croatia), Katie Lock (England), Sofija Mašović (Serbia), Gülşah Meral (Turkey).