resonance
originally built to protect nature, the former water reservoir in basel is reactivated as a resonant body — an architecture that listens, measures, and responds to its surroundings. outfitted with sensors that record light, temperature, humidity, and co₂, the space translates environmental data into acoustic impulses, setting the structure itself into vibration. the architecture becomes both instrument and measuring device, amplifying the subtle dynamics of its environment. through the encounter of humans, technology, and the built space, a living system unfolds — one that makes perceptible the fragile and intricately interwoven relationship between humanity and nature.
in collaboration with:
hutta
tim berresheim
swstudio
overpressure chamber
the central, tall space is equipped with an eight-channel sound installation. sensors continuously measure humidity, temperature, brightness, co₂ concentration, and movement, translating these environmental shifts into sound. the composition changes in real time with the presence of visitors. contact loudspeakers set the pipes into vibration, turning the entire structure into a living resonant body.
basin 3
the human calls into the darkness. the recorded sound is played back through loudspeakers and gradually reinforced through feedback. as the echoes build, the natural resonances of the architecture intensify until only the characteristic frequencies of the space remain. the room reveals its own melody — a sound shaped entirely by its form and material.
basin 2
the audio signal from basin 3 is amplified and transmitted as impulses to the water surface. the sound waves become visible as ripples and patterns illuminated by light, reflecting across the walls and ceiling. the interaction of sound and light transforms the basin into a shimmering echo of the previous space.
basin 1
light reflections from basin 2 are captured by a sensor that controls the intensity of smoke emitted from the existing ventilation pipes. the varying density of the smoke makes the exchange between light, water, and air perceptible, extending the chain of resonance throughout the system.
program at the reservoir
08.09.24 - sensor / messen lecture by alexandra arènes (soc)
10.09.24 - archäologie / erkunden lecture by dr. miriam noël haidle
11.09.24 - organismus / verflechten lecture by dorsa collective
13.09.24 - zukunft / entwickeln lecture by marcus steinweg
credits: dejan jovanovic (images: 1, 6, 8, 14, 15, 16)