RainZonanceS: Rainzonances1

This first ever Rainzonances project - Rainzonaces1 (2008), which took place in one of the buildings designed by the acclaimed Cypriot architect Neoptolemos Michaelides, seeks to draw attention to the spatial characteristics of this empty space, and particularly to the highly reverberant quality. Due to its construction materials and the materials found in the interior of the space (concrete walls, terrazzo floor tiles, glass windows, aluminium window frames, mirrors, mosaic tiles), but also to the shape of the specific room, a unique acoustic environment is produced. This acoustic environment is a significant part of the architectural structure and it is also a crucial factor towards the experience gained through moving in the space.

Using a subwoofer and 4 transducers that resonate through 4 different objects, as well as a colour/contrast-fluctuating light reflected from several mirrors, we attempted to activate the room’s distinctive attributes in order to create a stimulating atmosphere. A Max/Msp patch controls the whole system, which is programmed both to act at random (with regards to the volume level of each audio output) as well as to assemble an interaction between the projection’s brightness and the subwoofer’s volume level.