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'Singing Pools'

Interactive Permanent Sculpture

Steel sculpture, mechanical, sensors and sound

‘Singing Pools’ is a major commission for one of the few Sound Sculpture Parks in Europe. The ‘Singing Pools’ has developed over three years of research in an investigation of floating mechanical structures in an outdoor lake. Three floating steel pools are installed within the sculpture park, which when visitors trigger the outdoor sensors they activate motors, which are attached to the steel pools. The movement of the motors sends wave formations across the surface of the water. The Interactive Sculpture was commissioned to operate for 10 years.

The research investigated how to mimic sound waves through air and water in order to make the frequencies visible. The challenge was to discover how sound moves visually in a new enquiry to understand further how sound waves contribute to the transmission of energy by a series of vibrations within the context of a large-scale outdoor space beyond the gallery.

The project explores how the spectators of an outdoor park engage and interact with the sensor technologies developed from and out of earlier work, (Sound Fountains – in a Chapel; in an art gallery)interrogating an audiences’ understanding of sound, movements in time and the workings of interactive technologies. The experimental stages of the research (April – September 2012) have led to several changes in the designs.

The research has been significant in becoming part of the ‘Klankenbos’ permanent collection of sound installations in open air, which is accommodated at the Provinciaal Domein Dommelhof at Neerpelt (Belgium) and unique in Europe. It furthers research already undertaken by investigating the possibilities of electronic digital media and interactive design for permanent installation practice.

It is now important to have the opportunity to experiment with sensors in an open public site rather than in a gallery situation – the impact of this research is considerable and will be vital as part of extensive studies into interactive environments. As part of this on-going research there are measures and evaluations which will inform future installation practice. These include exploring the nature of sound art in outdoor public spaces; exploring the kind of challenges and difficulties that this kind of work sets up, when technology is installed in the open air for extended periods of time; introducing innovative research to a mixed audience of all ages and backgrounds; continuing to explore the contexts of public art.