Big Sky Set Build: WavePaths Brick Lane Space
Wavepaths combines immersive media with advances in intelligent technologies and neuroscience in a mission to improve global wellbeing.
The pop-up space on Brick Lane provides a showcase for the music and light art, which was produced in collaboration with Brian Eno, Jon Hopkins and Greg Haines.
The first of its kind, this space is created around an “Adaptive Generative Environment”; a specially developed computational system that responds to the users emotional and physiological states, providing a unique and highly personalized experience. Using a marriage of light and art to bring around profound relaxation calm, peace and connection to its users.
The space doubles as both a designated place for personal growth and as an active research site, dedicated to building the empirical evidence base for a new approach to well-being: Experience as Medicine.
Our Set build team worked collaboratively with the Wavepaths team in order to bring this unique vision to life within a 30 sqm / 3.1m high space comprised of two rooms:
The first, was to be a reception room to welcome guests to the space, allowing them to sit and prepare to enter the second room. This room was also to house a lighting installation by Brain Eno.
The second space was to be made into the ‘soft room’ where guests will sit and meditate with the music. Here a ‘Pod’ designed to create the best acoustic environment possible, was to be built.
The build was to take place within a newly created space in the Truman Brewery. Our team worked for two weeks to transform the two office-like interiors into a haven from the bustling outside world. From our workshop in North London we were able to craft certain pieces to be assembled on site, however due the small size and narrow access to the space meant the majority was constructed on location
The shell of the pod was built in the Big Sky Workshop - crafted in sections so that it could be transported and moved into the space. We then assembled the pod on site, filled with acoustic insulation, and pannelled with curved ply, in order to contain and conceal an L-ISA Immersive Sound Art (L-ISA) installation of 25 speakers and one subwoofer. The system was custom designed for the Space by L-Acoustics Creations, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium sound systems for live events, to create a soundscape that feels expansive, cinematic, natural, and deeply involving.
The idea for both spaces was to line them in a way which hid all doors and windows to create even surfaces. To achieve this we created an internal frame within the room, filled it with sound installation, then completely concealed with plasterboards and painted to create a neutral white space - in stark contrast to the busy Brick Lane just outside.
It was incredible to be part of this project, and we are overjoyed to see the success the Wavepaths team have had with the space completely booking out. As the very first protoype of this kind of space it’s been a real journey for our team and was an exciting challenge to take on.
Wavepaths Space is open at Brick Lane until 25th May.
More to come.
