Sound scenography is a perspective we can all incorporate into our work as scenographers. This perspective recognizes that human experience is embodied. The concept helps us recognize that sound is never perceived in isolation but intertwined with all the other senses within a specific individual, temporal, and spatial context.

In the context of exhibitions, the orchestration of diverse auditory media, sound types, and sound forms serves to interconnect, juxtapose, contextualize, and structure the various components of the exhibition such as artifacts, graphics and visuals, media stations, or film installations. Sound scenography is a comprehensive approach that integrates sound with architectural design, spatial acoustics, media technology, aesthetics, inclusivity, communication, and curation. Its central idea is that sound is more than a medium within the exhibition space; rather, it acts as a powerful tool capable of molding and enriching the visitors’ holistic sensory experience.

Yet sound scenography provides fresh insights wherever perceptual space is created. It can be applied in exhibition making, but also in architecture, sound art, music, installations, theater, radio plays, films, games, and more. It expands the interdisciplinary exploration of spatial design, communication, and aesthetics through the lens of the ear.

We harness the power of sound to craft experiential and learning environments that engage all the senses. Within these carefully designed spaces, visitors have the freedom to construct their own understanding, interpret, and absorb knowledge in a way that suits their individual style. Our approach sees space as a living canvas, a dynamic interplay between objects, architecture, and the people who navigate it, rather than a static vessel waiting to be filled with information.

Sound, in a broad sense, is a holistic phenomenon. Sound isn’t just the waves produced by the movement of air, like those from musical instruments, speakers, or headphones. It’s not only what we hear with our ears, either. Sound also includes silence (the absence of sound waves), missing sounds (like a person speaking on a muted video), or sounds that exist only in our minds (like remembering a voice or a piece of music). All these kinds of sounds can be used by visitors to create meaning in a specific situation.

The way visitors make sense of things is always influenced by how they perceive space. In exhibitions, it’s important to think about how a specific sound works with its surroundings in space and time to effectively convey information. For example, how does a visual element complement a spoken text, or how does a piece of music enhance a description of an object? How is our perception affected when we simultaneously receive messages through our eyes and ears? How can we make sense of information when multiple sounds interact and blend together? It’s crucial to consider how these various types of sound relate to each other, but also to visual, tactile, or other sensory information.

We develop exhibition concepts in the spirit of a Gesamtkunstwerk, a total work of art. We consider the spatial environment, architecture, media technology, content, and visitors as a network of interrelated components that contribute to the overall experience as a whole. We take the unique space or location as the starting point for initial conversations, ideas, and the entire creative process.

As we delve into the work, we approach manifold questions: Which ideas and themes have already been established, and which are still being developed? How can sound complement or completely change an exhibition concept? What does the location itself sound like? How does sound connect to the other senses and forms of communication? Which themes provide direct or indirect connections for the auditory experience? What roles can sound play: as an exhibit, documentation, explanation, context, mood, or emotion?

We carefully interweave spoken word, atmosphere, textures, and music to create soundscapes, object-sound, interactive exhibits, sound installations, audio walks, and other auditory elements found in exhibitions. We follow an iterative approach, starting with design sketches and progressing to detailed compositions and on-site mixing, incorporating frequent feedback rounds in all project phases and with all disciplines involved in the exhibition making.

With over 10 years of project experience, we are well-versed in dealing with challenging acoustic environments on-site. We have learned that there are no inherently bad acoustics. Instead, finding the right approach to address the unique room acoustics in terms of storytelling, design, and technical considerations can be extremely beneficial to both concept and budget.

The unique acoustics of a room are the main reason we typically create audio content for a specific playback scenario with a particular speaker setup. However, our process enables us to adapt the audio content to various playback scenarios and room acoustics. We can also convert the content into different immersive media and output formats suitable for streaming services, social media platforms, or headphones.

In our Berlin studio, we use a three-dimensional arrangement of loudspeakers and a stereophonic system featuring the renowned reference monitor RL900 made by the esteemed company Musikelektronik Geithain. With this setup, we can create a wide range of traditional and contemporary audio formats, including object-based spatial audio such as MNTN, Ambisonics, Dolby Atmos, wave field synthesis, and binaural audio.

We develop sound systems that articulate our design concepts into tangible auditory experiences. This process entails meticulous coordination with interconnected media systems, the specific room acoustics on location, scenography, architecture, and other relevant disciplines.

When planning a sound system, we start by carefully examining the exhibition design concept from the perspective of how listeners will experience it. We then conduct a detailed analysis of the physical room acoustics, taking into account both the essential requirements and the optional usage scenarios for the sound system.

Taking into account sustainability, design, budget, and the built environment, we provide recommendations for enhancing room acoustics; define requirements for technical devices like headphones and loudspeakers, including their quantity and placement in exhibition spaces; research and evaluate audio equipment, such as specific types of loudspeakers; develop and program playback and interaction systems; design audio networks and operating concepts, integrating them into higher-level media systems; and support our clients with public tenders, guiding them through the process with our expertise and comprehensive understanding of the technical and aesthetic requirements.

During the implementation process, we assist our clients with selecting providers and service providers, monitoring execution, conducting quality inspections, approving audio systems, managing commissioning and configuration, and performing sound characteristic fine-tuning.

To foster critical, interdisciplinary thinking and support the growth and sharing of sound-based practices in scenography and exhibition design, we are actively engaged in the initiatives of spæs – lab for spatial aesthetics in sound in Berlin.

The lab encourages the exchange and innovation of ideas, skills, and knowledge at the intersection of art, science, and technology. With lab members and residents from diverse backgrounds, we explore the relationships between sound, space, and human experience from an aesthetic perspective.

www.spaes.org