Dave Walker

The Auditorium

An interactive and immersive showcase of light, spatial music and 3D ambient sound, designed to intrigue and inspire. Wander through a gamelan orchestra, lay in the middle of a breaking wave, or surround yourself with swirling piano notes and singing birds.

Overview pic

Physical Description

Construction

Audio

Lighting

Appearance

Seating

Activity

Materials

Overview pic

Interactivity

Overview pic

Mission

Inclusion and participation have been at the forefront of my mind while designing this. I want to create a space that is welcoming and inclusive by its very nature - no walls or doors, no entry lines, no center, front, or best spot to be. That inclusivity leads to participation. Likewise, there are no buttons or obvious inputs - participation is innate. Everyone who comes close is automatically a participant in the shared experience, and their presence helps to shape the events that unfold. Some of my favorite experiences with art on-playa have been those where the interactivity of the piece is not immediately obvious, but instead is discovered collaboratively with those sharing the experience through discussion and experimentation - this is something I’d love to foster with this piece. I hope this can be an experience that provokes fascination and childlike wonder in people who have likely never experienced anything like it. (Early tests show that this is definitely the case!)

I’m also leaning heavily on natural influences for this piece. Black Rock Desert can be harsh and unforgiving, and the physical structure is equally stark at first glance. One of the only things I miss while at Burning Man, and the thing I appreciate first when I leave, is exposure to the natural world. We all have an inbuilt kinship with rustling leaves, running water, and birdsong - exposure to these is shown to reduce stress, and the opposite is equally true. Through the use of field recordings, soundscapes, gentle music, and lighting, I’d like to bring a reminder of the softer side of the natural world which can otherwise feel absent from the desert - like an oasis. This is closely tied to the underlying concept of the overall piece (as explained on its interpretive sign): an auditory vault of natural sounds and human music, from a future in which both have died out. I want to remind participants of the value of both of these.

The playa can be an overwhelming place at night: loud thumping music and bright flashy lights can be hard to escape. I’d like to create a place of respite, where people feel comfortable slowing down, having space to reflect and feel recharged. I’m also planning to showcase a lot of musical genres which are not well represented at Burning Man (Indian classical, Gamelan, West African ensembles, ambient, classical, contemporary piano), all of which bring a different energy and allow people to step outside their usual experience to experience something new.

Overview pic

Progress so far…

Version 1 Complete!

All the hardware, software, lighting and audio needed to get a working piece ready for UnSCruz was completed on time.

UnSCruz (May 2024)

The Auditorium was placed at UnSCruz (a “regional” burn, like a mini local version of Burning Man). Lots of good feedback from participants, lots of lessons learned, and a whole list of improvements to make before it goes to Burning Man. Pics/video at https://www.instagram.com/oddsockmachine/

Burning Man (August 2024)

Awaiting placement decision (ie where exactly it will be placed). Upcoming improvements around setup (quick connect cable looms), UI (how people interact with it), scheduling (what kinds of audio work best at what times of day/night), and lighting (kinda rushed this for UnSCruz, a new lighting engine is in the works…)