The sound installations are part of a research study by doctoral student Kristin Neglich, who is investigating how artistically designed sound installations can improve accessibility and support the orientation of visually impaired people in public spaces. Three different professional sound designers have created sounds for three concepts on the entrance level. Kristin Neglich will be on site in Kulturens hus from opening to closing during the testing.
Members from Luleå and Boden have been invited via the Swedish Association of the Visually Impaired to listening tests. Visitors who wish to participate can fill out a questionnaire about the designed sounds; participation is voluntary and responses are anonymous. The sound installations will be tested for three days, one day for each concept, during week 16.
The research study is part of the doctoral dissertation 'The Silence, the Murmur and the Noise – The Sounds that Shape the Living Environment'. The dissertation is funded by the research council Formas and is part of the initiative 'Designed Living Environment', which focuses on the interaction between architecture, form, design, art, and cultural heritage in public environments, with particular interest in how these areas together shape people's everyday living environments. The specific dates in April for the testing, the exact sound concepts being tested, and the criteria for determining if the installations become permanent have not been disclosed.