Sound will keep on happening, finding its way into our lives and making an impact. But sometimes, sound needs to be controlled and handled with care. At Efterklang we understand its potential, balancing sound’s wildness with expertise.
Every day, all of us experience sound. The impact and presence of sound is something we all must navigate as part of our environment. In our business, there’s a common view that sound is merely an unwanted side effect—something to be mitigated or eliminated. Noise.
While some sounds are noise and consequences from other activities, sound can also be used as a powerful force and tool. Life happens, and with it, sound happens too.
Sound is instrumental (pun intended) in shaping our environment and society. From our perspective, sound presents several key opportunities from both environmental and societal viewpoints. Here are a few areas that we find particularly interesting, where sound is both a consequence and a potential design element:
Inclusion
Carefully crafted soundscapes or preserved sound zones that capture and maintain the natural and/or cultural sounds of a location can enrich community well-being and social interactions. Just have a look at Malmö Kulturljudzon (culture-sound-zone) an area designed to create conditions for industry, culture, and leisure to develop a symbiotic sonic relationship by permitting noise levels of up to 85 dBA at source. More information available here (in swedish).
Urbanization
Making us re-think and re-purpose buildings and places. One notable example is The High Line in New York City. Originally an elevated freight rail line used for transporting goods, now transformed into a public green space. The transformation significantly altered the soundscape from rail noise to a dynamic auditory environment. More information about The High Line here.
Sustainability
Climate change has underscored the urgent need for transformation within the construction and building industry, prompting a shift towards more sustainable practices. One significant response to this challenge is the increased use of massive wood construction, which offers a promising solution for reducing the industry’s carbon footprint. For instance, the Mjøstårnet tower in Norway, currently the world’s tallest timber building, showcases the potential of wood as a key material in sustainable architecture. Learn more here.
From the dawn of time to the endless future, sound will happen. Join us in mastering the art of sound…
We tune the world.
In the realms of conceptual and artistic exploration, we investigate how sound happens, whether as natural consequences or as intentionally designed events. Browse happenings below.
We’d love to learn more about how we can assist you with sound—whether it’s managing unwanted consequences or designing it as a feature. Feel free to reach out!
Get in touch with our sound experts.
