Yuri Suzuki creates acoustic playground for Shanghai park

Japanese designer Yuri Suzuki has created a sound installation for a sculpture park in Shanghai, featuring horn-shaped speaking tubes, swings and slides to transform the natural environment into a playful gathering space.

Suzuki designed the Otonomori sculpture for the 2024 Jing'an International Sculpture Project, a biennale that brings sculptures by international artists to a public park in Shanghai's Jing'an district.

The designer's aim was to provide a communal space for rest, play and communication, where people can come together and engage in shared experiences.

"My main goal was to design a space that is open and welcoming, without barriers or intimidation," Suzuki told Dezeen. "The sculpture invites people to gather, explore and engage with sound naturally and intuitively."

Otonomori, which means Sound Forest, is one of the largest pieces Suzuki has ever designed and is similar in style to the Sonic Bloom project he installed in London's Mayfair district in 2021.

Suzuki explained that the sculpture is entirely acoustic, with no electronic components. "Its horn-like structures naturally amplify, enhance and collect sound, creating an immersive listening environment," he said.

"Because of its large scale, the sculpture also creates natural resonance, reverb and delay effects, making sound an integral part of the experience."

Alongside the speaking tubes, Otonomori incorporates street furniture as well as playground swings and slides, providing a variety of ways for the public to interact with the sculpture.

As the name Sound Forest suggests, its branching forms were inspired by the organic growth pattern of trees, which Suzuki pointed out have "historically served as natural gathering places, offering shelter and fostering community interaction".

The installation utilises primary colours that stand out against the park's greenery and the greyness of the surrounding urban context.

Suzuki frequently uses these colours in his work as he is dyslexic and finds that their clear visual separation helps to differentiate between the various functions.

Otonomori proved so popular among attendants of the biennale that access had to be limited for security reasons.

Suzuki said he was disappointed that not everyone could experience the sculpture freely but added that its popularity proved its ability to create a strong sense of engagement.

The aim now is to find a permanent home where Otonomori can continue to serve as a community gathering space. Suzuki added that the sculpture is designed to adapt to different contexts and forms of community interaction.

"Its purpose may shift depending on the needs of the place it moves to but its core idea – a space for people to come together through sound and interaction – will remain the same," he said.

Tokyo-born Suzuki studied at Nihon University in Japan and the Royal College of Art in London before beginning to work on sound installations and experimental product designs.

He was a partner at London design firm Pentagram from 2018 to 2024 and founded the experimental electronic music label MSG in 2020.

Suzuki's trumpet-shaped sound sculptures have been featured in numerous settings around the world, including installations at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the High Museum of Art Atlanta.

The 2024 Jing'an International Sculpture Project took place from 26 September to 31 December at the Jing'an Sculpture Park. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.

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