The concept, derived from an original idea by Terzo Paesaggio, was to use the 56-metre-high abbey’s iconic lantern tower, disguised by temporary scaffolding for restoration works, as a “listening device” through a specially developed sound diffusion system. Visitors could freely experience the sound installation throughout the surroundings of the monastery, with the sound fading away through the village of Chiaravalle up to a distance of about 200 metres.
We provided all-round technical consultancy for the artistic project, collaborating closely with curators and artists to design, test, and install a customised sound system based on long-throw horn loudspeakers.
Through a live performance by Nicola Ratti and a programme of listening sessions held between September and October 2021, the project attempted to reinterpret the identity of the bell tower as a soundmark of the territory, encouraging an unexpected and unusual listening practice.