Fielding

Full description

BACKGROUND:
Fielding is a public sound art installation that brings together sound artists, scientists and landscape architects. Sound artists were asked to submit works based on the theme of ‘broken ecologies’. 11 successful submissions were mixed across three speakers using Pascal Amphoux’s ‘Listening Pyramid’. Speakers were embedded in a wooden structure designed as part of a landscape architecture teaching studio in collaboration with lead artists Jordan Lacey and Catherine Clover. Plants embedded in the structure were researched by scientists in RMIT’s Centre for Urban Research. It is a unique example of the benefits of transdisciplinary research that combines sound art, urban greening and soundscape design.

CONTRIBUTION: Fielding provides a new approach to understanding how urban soundscape design and urban greening initiatives can be combined to improve urban liveability. To date the main approaches to urban soundscape design have focussed on the need to mitigate noise. However, recent advances in urban soundscape design challenge government and industry to look at urban sound not as a noise issue, but as soundscape design issue. This is in line with urban greening approaches seeking to improve urban liveability by introducing biota into urban areas. The project is part of Lacey's DECRA outcomes which seeks to combine these two areas of research, and his ongoing practice at the interface of sonic arts and urban design, and how these relations shape cultural knowledge, social health and well-being.

SIGNIFICANCE:
Fielding was funded by Programmed, a leading provider of staffing, maintenance and facility management services. Programmed made a cash contribution of $15,000 and in-kind support to engineer, construct and maintain the installation. The project was initially funded through a competitive process supported by Wonderment Walk (wondermentwalk.org.au) and Carbon Arts (carbonarts.org). The project was featured in a ‘Programmed blog’, and the RMIT website.