Sonic Gathering Place
SONIC GATHERING PLACE, RMIT CAMPUS, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
The Sonic Gathering Place (SGP) is a biophilic soundscape intervention located at the Alumni Courtyard on RMIT University’s campus, Melbourne, Australia. Initiated by an Australian Research Council grant awarded to Jordan Lacey and RMIT University Property Services, the project engages students, university staff, and the general public. The installation, ongoing since October 27, 2021, features urban furniture designed to integrate sound with nature, enhancing the effects of biophilic design.
![View of a city block (left image) of the RMIT University campus in the Melbourne CBD, and the location of the Alumni Courtyard (top right image) and the SGP (broken white arrow). Approximate scales can be estimated from the size of the SGP (6.5 m diameter)[1].](https://soundscape-intervention.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1-1.png)
![The final installation is made of stainless steel and composite timber slats. These materials were selected due to their durability in outdoor spaces. Holes are placed in the bottom of the planter boxes to allow for drainage. Further funding is sought to line the steel boxes with plant-friendly material and to inscribe artworks on the outward-facing surfaces of planter boxes. Note the four circular green speakers that are networked to a computer system located beneath the seating[1].](https://soundscape-intervention.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2-1.png)
References
[1] Lacey, J., Brown, A. L., & Anderson, C. (2024). Sonic Gathering Place: implementation of a biophilic soundscape design and its evaluation. Landscape Research, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2024.2372441
Case provided by: Jordan Lacey, Lex Brown & Charles Anderson. Edited by: Xiaochao Chen