Sonic Vista is a unique public arts project commissioned by Nuproductions as part of their “A World of Sound” series for Stavanger 2008 European Capital of Culture.

 

Designed for enhancing everyday urban experiences in a world of increasing uniformity. The Sonic Vista Bench is an archetypical park bench updated for the 21st Century, modified and re-modeled to create a totally new type of city street furniture.Each bench contains 2 solar powered digital audio players, allowing members of the public to voluntarily plug in to a series of specially commissioned soundtracks designed specifically to facilitate new ways of experiencing specific public spaces, the audio is accessed by plugging in any standard pair of personal mini jack stereo headphones.

 

The benches have been designed by renowned product designer Mil Stricevic and are produced by Ranso, a community workshop for people with various mental & physical disabilities. All material is sourced locally from sustainable resources.

 

Compositions have been specially commissioned from some of Norway's and the worlds leading sound artists, musicians and composers; including Biosphere, Goodiepal, Nils Henrik Asheim, David Toop, Kim Cascone, Karlheinz Stockhausen (memorial bench), Hai Nguyen Dinh (Next Life), Maja Ratkje, Kaada and Sten Ove Toft.

 

PDF version available: here

 

Web page available: here