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Achim Wollscheid - (selected) projects

"8 lights, 8 speakers" (2009)

8 lights, 8 speakers

a set of speakers distributed across a space emitting sound that is processed real-time
from the environmental sound (people, traffic, feedback).
Light movement acts and reacts accordingly.
"8 lights, 8 speakers" was realized at monoquini organized by corpus Bordeaux.

video

"sound_box" (september 2007)

sound_box

The sound_box records all environmental sound,
transforms it and replays it real time.
Supported by and firstly presented at RAM Rome.

"progetto torre angela" (2006/2007)

progetto torre angela - 3 towers

Over the next decade the Torre Angela district in Rome will be developed.
As part of the development 3 "plug-in" towers will be placed within that area
- a tower of sound, of light and of water (pic).
All 3 towers will be interacting with their environment -
reacting to sound (via water and sound transfromation)
and to movement (via mirror movement/light)

1st prize in the competition for the development of the Torre Angela district Rome
Together with moorroom
city planning aada architects and AeV architetti

pics

"don't let me down" (2006/2007)

don't let me down (Keine Mitte)

In the central tower of the historic water reservoir at Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin Mitte,
a 60 Watt bulb is suspended.
In case visitors mount the stairs the light accompanies that movement -
driven by a sensor operated winch.
"don't let me down" was realized as part of interface festival.

video

"possible polyson" (september 2006)

possible polyson

A row of 6 cirlces is projected in front of the palazzo della solidarieta, Piombino, Tuscanny
Addressed to each circle is a loudspeaker with a specific sound.
Once somebody enters the circle the sound changes,
further movement transforms the sound accordingly.
If several persons enter different circles they can interactively
communicate via sound - the can compose through interactive movement.

video

"inlet_outlet" (may 2006)

inlet_outlet

Realized as part of sonambiente at the old Polish embassy, Berlin.
First floor windows open and close in accord with peoples movement in the space.
A program translates the data gained by motion tracking into a correlative
action of the motorized window openens

video

"wallfield" (april 2005)

wallfield

The house is completely covered by a grid of uniform windows,
which somehow redfines what usually creates an in- and out-side: the wall.
So I decided to open the wall to sound, as well.
3 units consisting both of mikes and speakers are installed at 3 walls of the house.
Outside sounds can be recorded and replayed in the inside and vice versa.
Loudness and (a computer directed) degree of sound-transformation can be adjusted -
ranging from "original" to "abstract".

pics

with thanks to formalhaut

"redlighthaze" (september 2004)

redlighthaze

A portion of the facade is overlaid with a grid of red LEDs,
which change lightness or pattern according to real-time sound analyses.
This interface between architecture and the by-passers is created by the relationship
between common sound sources (the voices of passers-by, the noise generated by local traffic)
and the programme that regulates the transformation.

video

with thanks to moorroom

"intersite" (april 2004)

intersite

The sonic cityscape mirrored on 2 sides of the facade.
Traffic noise and voices of the bypassers change pattern and intenstiy
of the LED-net hovering in front of the building.

building by ksp engel und zimmermann

pics

"missing recipient" (february 2004)

missing recipient

The movement on the stairs in the lobby of the Akademie fuer Tonkunst, Darmstadt,
is monitored and triggers a correlative movement of light.
At the same time the environmental noise is recorded, transformed in realtime and re-played.

video

"flexible response" (january 2004)

flexible response

The sounds in the inside (lobby) trigger the light movement on the windows.
Thus - during office hours - the glass facade translates
and projects fragments of the social choreography.
At night the interactive part is replaced by a self generating light composition.

video

"light curtain" (October 2003)

light curtain

The light-system for Tetsuo Furudates piece "The auditory sense of Mr. Roderick Usher",
performed in October 03 at the Festspielhaus Hellerau, Dresden.
Sound (by Tetsuo Furudate, Edwin van der Heide and Leif Elggren) and light were networked -
sound triggered changes of light and light triggered changes of sound.

video

"interflow" (2003/2004)

interflow

Childrens' hospital, Bruchweiler, Germany, entrance area

interflow monitors the movements of the bypassers and conceives, correlatively,
a changing reflection of both movement and context.
interflow consists of 2 elevated steel frame-systems,
containing 16 double faced high-grade steel-mirrors.
The center of each steel-frame contains a digital camera.
The cameras monitor the bypassers' movements and defines angle
and torque for each of the mirrors' new position.

pics

video

"square" (july 2002)

square

The grid, a modernist remnant, seems something I always return to.
In the case of the halogen square its non-hierarchical openess invites for access and use.
The sounds of the environment (including the acting "audience") are recorded,
processed in real time and re-played creating a background to the "real" sonic happenings.
The light on the square changes according to intesity, rhythm and direction of sound.
Later versions of this system use both microphones and camera for recording
to facilitate an equal disitribution between sonic and visual information.

pics

"resolving interactions" (March 2002)

resolving interactions

The system consists of 4 light-units with 2 sensors each, a computer and a display.
Each light unit contains 8 beams, which are operated by dimmers.
If 2 or more persons access the system, the one person can become
the onlooker of the other. Movement triggers and transforms the light,
whose movement might reflect and transform the corporate action.
Situated at one of the central floors of law-court Frankfurt the system
is a prototype for real-time installations, which layer input and output.

video

"connective memory" (november 1999)

connective memory

is situated in the recess hall of a technical
high-school where it scans the sound profile of the pupils' voices.
According to compositional patterns specific sonic forms are selected,
recorded and stored in a digital memory. In case a similar sound
event takes place, the memory adds a related sound formation to
the live sound. While the system is at work, outside "checkerboard"
light-square translates the sonic impulse into a game of moving
lights.(permanent)

"Nordpol bridge" (july 99)

Nordpol bridge

spans the entrance to the so called "Westpark", City of Bochum, Germany.
The glass beneath the railing lights up in case one or several persons cross.
The "halos" accompanying the pedestrians grow or shrink walking speed.
The movement of the pedestrians, recorded by a series of sensors along the bridge
is interpreted by the computer as notes on a virtual score, while
the additional patterns create the base for an interactive improvisation.(permanent)

video

Further info: nordpol-bruecke.de

"clapper system" (1993 - 1998)

clappers

The "clapper"-system plays objects, rooms or spaces, according to the placement of
the electronically driven "clappers" and the specific resonance of the materials and
objects to which they are attached.
During the first public performance of this system at Kawasaki City Museum as part of
the "sonic perception" festival, the magnets were fixed beneath the seats in the audience.
The installations that followed (Seattle, San Francisco, Frankfurt/M) examined the sonic
body of spaces or object constellations of our everyday usage.
The last version of the system is equipped with a real-time sound-transformation
interface - meaning the harmonic spectrum of sound events in spaces or places
(voices of engine sounds for example) are recorded, analysed and transformed
into percussive patterns.

pics

Achim Wollscheid's biography

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