sound barriers
Sound Barriers is an interactive playground installation of elastic, sound-responsive string walls that separate adult and children’s spaces while transforming ambient noise into shared musical experiences.
In partnership with Karam House, we were tasked with creating interactive sound installations for a newly built playground in Reyhanli, Turkey. The challenge was to use music as a universal language while exploring the materiality of sound and the physicality of play to create engaging experiences for both children and adults on a playground.
Design Brief
Traditional playgrounds often encourage parents to remain close to their children, leaving little opportunity for adults to relax or socialize while children explore independently. This dynamic can limit children's ability to take age-appropriate risks, develop confidence, and build independence through play.
Sound Barriers is a series of translucent, elastic string walls that create a visual and acoustic boundary between the children's and adult activity areas. Microphones distributed throughout the playground capture ambient sounds, causing the strings to vibrate at modified frequencies and transforming the barriers into interactive musical installations. The permeable design maintains visual connections between parents and children while encouraging independent play. In the event of an emergency, gaps within the string walls provide direct access to the playground.
Final Prototype
Additional Images
Functional Diagram
Scale Model Close Up
First Speaker Prototype
Second Speaker Prototype
Final Speaker Prototype