Projects

The Sound of Yangtze

ISD Team

Abstract

Sound of the Yangtze, from a workshop, uses 5 painted metal panels for the key chapters: Source, Three Gorges, Jianghan Plain, Jiangnan, Estuary. Inspired by Chinese poetry and using AIGC, it combines soundscapes with visuals, evoking mystery, joy, passion, elegance, grandeur, and immersing audiences in the natural essence of China’s waterway.

Description

“Sounds of the Yangtze” emerged from a workshop under the Zijin Award·China (Nanjing) University Student Design Exhibition, aiming to reinterpret the Yangtze River through innovative sound art. The brief, crafted by mentors, tasked participants—students from over ten Chinese universities—with creating an immersive auditory experience rooted in classical poetry and enhanced by AIGC tools.

The interdisciplinary creation process, merging poetry with artificial intelligence, sparks inspiration for design enthusiasts, cultural explorers, and those intrigued by cross-disciplinary art. This physical installation comprises five sound devices, each crafted from renewable materials: metal panels hand-painted with acrylics, wooden supports, and full-range speakers paired with freely arranged audio cables. Magnetic connectors and the cables’ abstract layout express artistic intent, while their exposed design reflects the creators’ interpretation of ‘objectness.’

The soundscapes, generated via AI and refined manually, play through amplifiers and media players. Designed and fabricated in Shanghai by a collaborative team of students, mentors (including architecture professors, sound artists, and geek developers), and illustrators, the modular components ensure easy assembly and sustainability. This group of sound art installations debuted in Nanjing, with plans for a Shanghai tour to maximize cultural reach and minimize waste.

Mentors guided the curriculum and content refinement, while students drove the creative process—blending literature, geography, and technology. The result is a dynamic soundscape reflecting the Yangtze’s mystique, vitality, and grandeur, showcasing a fusion of human artistry and machine precision for broad appeal.