Shifting Safeguards

 

The project examines how institutionalized public sonic devices (e.g. Shotspotter, public sirens, mobile alerts, Mosquito) transform our socio-architectural atmospheres.

 

The politics of sound in architecture reach beyond auditory experience. They shape, manipulate, and control space itself.

The Dutch public siren, with its retro-futuristic design and concealed technology, exemplifies the convergence of sound and architecture. It serves not just as a functional safety device, but as a tool of spatial governance, altering our movements within urban environments. The siren's presence, while visually understated, exerts a profound influence on how spaces are navigated and experienced, reminding us of the latent power embedded in these systems. This interplay between sound and architecture raises critical questions about the ways in which such devices enforce order and discipline, subtly dictating behavior through their invisible yet pervasive influence. 

 

The ruin-like installation in the current experiment furthers this exploration by manipulating the siren's frequency, prompting us to consider the long-term implications of such systems on our built environments, where the marks and traces of sound may lead to unforeseen consequences, including the potential for self-destruction.

​

Photos by Chiara Catalini