Polyphonic Earth

Story:

‘Polyphonic Earth’ is a reply to the ‘Social Distancing’ key message part of the UN Open Brief to creatives, launched for the crisis of Covid-19. The project proposes a platform to connect online in order to make collective sounds to soothe the social distancing practised these days.

‘Polyphonic Earth’ proposes an accessible website which focuses on sound. Music has been embedded in cultures for as long as people have formed communities. It has become an integral part of social dynamics, used to collect and bond together. During these difficult times of being sent to isolate, the project encourages a social interaction that transcends language. The project encourages all to become musicians, each contributing to a musical piece allowing to be present together. Each sound starts a conversation between all online, bridging the social gap and connecting spaces and people from across the globe in unity and harmony.



How it works:

‘Polyphonic Earth’ is a platform to create collective music. Once a user is connected on the website, it has an option of 6 sounds to select from and to play them live by clicking on ‘Say Hi’, which plays back to all interacting with the website. Each sound is instructed to be in tune with all other sounds so everyone becomes an effortless musician.

Each time a user produces a sound, a light shines based on the user’s location on Earth. Please note that the location needs to be allowed with the website to be able to interact. If allowing the location to be shared is not permitted, the website can be visited in ‘guest-mode’, no sound or light will be coming from your location.

Please find our source code on GitHub if you would like to experiment with it!

Team:

Web Developer: Alexander Taylor
Concept and Sound Designer: Barney Kass
Designer: Léa Silvestrucci
Producer: Rebecca Lardeur

Press:

The Earth Issue, ‘Polyphonic Earth’

Archives:

Eyesore, ‘Quarantine Space’
Design in Quarantine, ‘Polyphonic Earth’