Mesa Musical Shadows
Mesa Art Center, Arizona, US
Cimbalom Circle
House of Music, Budapest, HU
Created for Budapest’s House of Music, an interactive pavement pays tribute to Hungary’s musical legacy. At the center of the artwork is the Cimbalom, a stringed instrument invented in Budapest in 1874. People walk a tune, play their own games, or dance, creating ever-evolving contemporary compositions with traditional sounds.
The House of Hungarian Music is one of the new key cultural institutions to join the ambitious 100-hectare City Park of Budapest, Liget Budapest. Designed by architect Sou Fujimoto, it is, in his words, “not only a museum but a larger vision encompassing past and future, people and culture, nature, and the sciences of music. It is not about displaying but inviting in, going away from simple contemplation to suggest participation and interactions.” Daily tous les jours was invited to create an entrance ritual outside the building, paying tribute to the Hungarian musical heritage with contemporary, innovative means that put the public in the center of an interactive, communal experience. The artwork extends the experience of the House of Music outdoors, for all to enjoy, and joining the permanent collection of one of Europe’s largest urban cultural development.
Musical Pavement Series
Cimbalom Circle is part of Daily’s Musical Pavement series that bring a new musical dimension to cities.
These artworks live permanently in urban architecture to stimulate the emergence of new gathering habits and opportunities for a wide audience to play music together. As people play along, inhibitions are lost and spontaneous performances take place.
How it works
The Cimbalom Circle system has 36 interactive units embedded in concrete tiles, each including a sensor and a responsive light ring. Place your foot, wheel, hand… on a sensor to play a note. Tap multiple sensors to play arpeggios. Explore alone or with others to compose many melodies – the rhythms depend on the distance between the sensors played. Step on one sensor, then another, then another and create a loop, drawing patterns of music, and light, with your feet.
Music emanates from the ground as if by magic. The sound system comprises in-house tailored speaker tiles developed to have no visible hardware, resist outdoor conditions and blend into the pavement pattern.
Awards and Recognitions
- Core77 - Winner - Interactive design 2022
- AZURE Magazine - TOP 10 Public Space project in 2022
Credits
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- This project was made possible [in part] by the Government of Canada.
- A Project by Daily tous les jours
- Creative Direction
- Mouna Andraos
- Melissa Mongiat
- Production
- Stu Wershof
- Technological Direction
- Eva Schindling
- Technical Direction
- Mathieu Frenette
- Design
- Ajmir Kandola
- Michael Carosello
- Magalie Rouleau
- Sound Direction
- Michael Baker
- Industrial Design
- Dikini
- Engineering
- ParaDesign
- Production Coordination
- Rafine You
- Photography et video
- Bertalan Soos / COLLOC
- Communication and content
- Cécile Chandran
- Mehdi Kerrit
- Powered with the help of
- MaxMSP
- Client
- House of Music
- General contractor
- Pannon Park
