Soundscape New York

Guggenheim Museum. Image courtesy of the Museum of the City of New York.

A collaboration between Karen Van Lengen, FAIA, William Kenan Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia and former Dean of the University's School of Architecture, and artist James Welty, this immersive audiovisual installation combines the actual sounds of iconic New York interiors, such as Grand Central Terminal and the Seagram Building lobby, with visual animations projected on a panoramic screen. Grand Central Terminal’s soundscape, for example, features an oceanic-style animation with clangs, echoes, and quick crescendos of intensity, transporting the listener to the midst of the station’s daily bustle, and amplifying its status as a primary transportation portal to and from New York City. Visitors can also experience the soundscapes of Rockefeller Center, the New York Public Library Reading Room, and the Guggenheim Museum. The opening will be celebrated with a panel of speakers on Tuesday evening, March 10 at 6:30 p.m. Participants will include: Tony Hiss, author of The Experience of Place and visiting scholar at NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service; Karen Van Lengen, FAIA, Kenan Professor of Architecture, School of Architecture, University of Virginia and former Dean of the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture; artist James Welty; and moderator Donald Albrecht, the City Museum’s Curator of Architecture & Design. A reception will follow. More event info here.