Sound Greenfall in Horizonte Weimar Magazine

06.2021 Weimar, GE


Sound Greenfall Publication

Zuhören (Listening/Hearing) constitutes the beginning of the fifteenth issue of horizonte. Listening is more than a term - it is a concept of an active practice of perception in order to learn about, and above all, from the world. That includes not only auditory perception. It is about being more sensitive and empathetic, questioning one’s own position as a listener, and finding out what responsibility comes with it. The prefix Zu- essentially distinguishes listening (ger.: Zuhören) from pure hearing (ger.:Hören). On the one hand, this contains the active and conscious turning to the speaking actor and thus the existential recognition of the counterpart. On the other hand, it is not just about hearing what has been said, but also about absorbing and trying to understand. Inevitably it brings one back to what has already been heard at some point before, which is modified in different intensities. The possibility of ’subversive listening’ is opened up. The point is to perceive and recognize one another through the practice of listening, to get closer, and to learn from one another.”

How do we listen?
How do listening processes function and what spaces do they create?
As architects, have we ever learned to listen?
Can architecture work as a translation tool?
How can the architectural discourse be made more diverse so that more positions can be heard?

Sound Greenfall is a sound sculpture and architectural installation rooted in bioacoustics and neuroscience. It challenges anthropocentric perspectives by using sound as a catalyst for ecological transformation and deeper sensory connection with nature. In the spirit of a new ecology of vibration, the project highlights our intrinsic biological bond with the natural world, envisioning architecture and art as tools for environmental stewardship, sustainability, and well-being.

© Sofia Boarino Architecture & Sound Art