The Buzz
Fall 2018 | Lead DeveloperThe Buzz is an audio/furniture installation, created collaboratively by UCLA Architecture & Urban Design, cityLab, Musicology, and REMAP.
Five separate sets of furniture were installed around UCLA campus at the beginning of November 2018, and were on view through December 14, 2018. Housed within one piece of furniture at each site was a Raspberry Pi which played generative music, composed in Sonic Pi. The piece randomly samples field recordings taken from around campus at the same time of day, as well as live feedback from the environment. An audio controlled relay sensed input from a provided aux cable allowing community members to create a commons hidden in plain sight.
As lead developer for the sound platform, I was responsible for prototyping, fabricating, and deploying the embedded computing system. This involved designing custom software and hardware, project budgetting, and weatherproofing, in addition to providing sound design input.
cityLab website with more information
Community enjoying the furniture at at a preliminary UCLA Arts & Architecture Opening Event:
Playing off the theme ‘Campus as Campus’, this set of furniture blends in with its surroundings. This theme is played with sonically with the live sampling from a hidden microphone, as well as field recordings of past campus events that occured at the same time.
