Antoine Oury | New York City Sonosphere: AR Soundwalk

 
New York City Sonosphere provides a glimpse into the acoustic communities of New York, drawing upon the concept of acoustic community and sound signals coined by Barry Truax. By deconstructing the intricacies and perhaps even chaos of sounds in the city, it unveils two types of acoustic communities. The first one, a city-wide acoustic community, which is created by the mix of traveling sounds like bustling traffic, honking cars, metro, and the vibrant chatter of people walking and talking. The second one, a diverse realm of local acoustic communities, shaped by unique sounds, specific to often small areas within the city.
New York City Sonosphere caters to both long-term inhabitants and newcomers alike, seeking to offer a fresh and enriching experience of New York through sounds. For long-term residents, the everyday soundscape may have faded into the background, becoming uninteresting and monotone. This project serves as a way for them to rediscover their city, hopefully bringing into them a sense of curiosity and stronger appreciation for the way their environments’ soundscape works.
Conversely, those new to the chaotic streets of NYC may find themselves overwhelmed by the cacophony of sounds that happens without a break. The amalgamation of noises might appear as pointless noise, leaving newcomers confused and frustrated. However, the New York City Sonosphere experience serves as a guide, dismantling this auditory chaos. By breaking down layers of sounds and explaining how they are special to New York and its people, it points to a sense of deeper appreciation of the diversity in the sonic expression of that city.
In essence, this project provides an audio-visual experience for both long-term residents and newcomers, offering them a lens through which they can discover and understand NYC’s soundscape.