Sonified Topographies
A UNESCO art installation traveling the world through music
| Client | UNESCO |
| Role | Lead Engineer |
| Skills | Full-stack Development, Electrical Engineering, Generative Design |
| Tech Stack | Python, Processing |
Overview
Sonified Topographies was created for UNESCO’s “Beyond City to City” exhibition at the Central Library in Austin, TX. The installation explores global cultures through music, using a custom-built 12K-LED panel array to transform sound into generative landscapes.
The system scrapes the most popular songs in UNESCO Creative Cities and processes the audio through a Processing algorithm, mapping frequencies to evolving 3D visuals. The result is a dynamic display reflecting each city’s unique soundscape.
My Role
As technical lead, I determined the tech stack, designed the LED installation, and developed the data interface. I collaborated with Seven Mile Media on the artistic concept and designed the generative forms that translate sound into visuals.
Technical Implementation
Python for Data Scraping: Used Python’s BeautifulSoup and Selenium to extract real-time music data efficiently.
Sentiment Analysis & Color Mapping: Analyzed lyrics with NLTK and VADER to determine emotional tone and adjust the color palette.
Generative Visuals in Processing: Mapped audio channels to 3D landscapes, with peaks and valleys shifting dynamically with the music.
The project transforms music into a real-time visual experience, offering an immersive exploration of global soundscapes and reinforcing the universal power of music and its connection to place and culture.