Riccardo Blumer - USI Mendrisio

Inspired by the theme of the 4th Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, “Land Architecture, Land Urbanism,” Sound of Architecture creates a soundscape in the heart of the city, expressing the deep connection between shape, sound and perception.

 

Sound of Architecture is an interactive installation designed and built by the students of the USI Universita della Svizzera Italiana, Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio during the 2022 fall semester led by professor Riccardo Blumer with the supervision of Arch. Dong Joon Lee, co-founder of the Stocker Lee studio.

 

The installation consists of 23 wooden volumes, disposed in space in a linear sequence, so to make a crossable tunnel. Each section is an individual piece, designed and built by its creator but becomes part of a bigger system when connected to the others. Each student has been given a dimensional limit but has been encouraged to experiment with different shapes and colors.

 

Visitors are encouraged to walk through the installation and look towards the sky, in order to experience the connection between the colorful shapes, the day light shining through and the music soundtrack. Each element contains a sound system that allows the surfaces to vibrate to become a resonating system that amplifies sounds depending on the geometry.

 

A soundtrack was specially composed by Nadir Vassena, composer and teacher at the conservatory of Lugano.

 

Sponsors: Embassy of Switzerland in the Republic of Korea, Swiss Fund Korea, Swissnex, Daanchoen

 

 Riccardo Blumer graduated in Architecture from the Milan Polytechnic and trained in Mario Botta’s office. He has designed numerous buildings, exhibitions and furnishings, but his design works in particular have received prestigious recognition. He works in groups such as Blumer and friends, in which he devised the “Physical Exercises of Design and Architecture”, permanent and temporary exhibits, teaching exercises, conferences and seminars. Since 2013 he is the Professor at the Academy of Architecture-USI and from 2017 to 2021 he was the director of the Academy of Architecture, USI in Mendrisio where he is a professor of “Architectural Design” and “Introduction to the creative process”.

 

Riccardo Blumer - USI Mendrisio

Sound Artist: Nadir Vassena

Supervisor: Dongjoon Lee

Assistants: Matteo Borghi, Francesco Tencalla, Lisa Bianchi, Ettore Contro

Students: Shiping Zhou, Luis Schrewe, Marco Coppola, Yolanda De Ramon Caamano, Gabriele Alvise Bianchi, Aapo Niinikoski, Lucia Thea Zanti, Egon Canevascini, Matteo Miretta, Edoardo Paghini, Silvia Pennisi, Bianca Maria Longoni, Luigi Chierico, Elena Robatto, Giuseppe Luca Gambino, Maxime Jacques Reol, Andrea Rizzi, Maryia Sidorenko, Soler Roda Jordi, Yannic Olivier Fratini, Michele Ruggero, Gentian Zhivanaj, Emanuele Varalli