Sounds of Rain

Abstract

This project is about creating a sonic experience using rain as a sound component in park environments in Gothenburg. I wanted to take advantage of the rain since a third part of the year in Gothenburg consists of rainy days. For many in the Western world, where rain is not scarce, the cold and wet rain is viewed as a negative thing. And when it comes to the qualities of rainy days, the contrasts are often mentioned 1 , like when you’re sitting indoors with a cup of tea, hearing the rain tapping outdoors on the roof or window. But when you’re actually outside during the rainy days, how can you then make it a more pleasant experience? During this project, I’ve been examined different techniques of water and rain sound installations, with a focus on Eastasian gardens, where most of the water sound installations have its origin. I’ve also been looking into different percussion music instruments that can be activated by the rain, in order to create a musical experience from the rain. From these investigations, I’ve developed a design proposal for a small scale rain pavilion where people can have a pause outdoors, protected from the rain and listening how the raindrops are meeting different surfaces and creating different compositions according to the amount of rainfall. I’ve been using video as a documentation tool to catch soundscapes and reactions to the sound tests and a full-scale mock-up of the rain pavilion that I’ve been exhibiting in Vasaparken in Gothenburg. My findings have been the relation of the acoustics of different shapes and materials in relation to falling waterdrops. My aim is that this rain pavilion will be non-site specific, so it can be produced and placed in more parks or other public spaces where you can enhance a rain shelter experience, like bus stops or attached to streetlights for example.