"Sonic Heirloom" Provides a Medium for Preserving Memory in the Digital Age
Map Project Office enlisted sound design studio Father to conceive a phygital experience that combines digital memory with tangible craft.
In an era where many of our tangible forms of memory, such as photo albums and cultural ephemera dissipate into the vast digital realm, what modes of collective memory will future generations have? London-based design studio Map Project Office has conceived a possible answer.
Map Project Office connected with sound design and composition studio Father to craft something between a digitally-enabled device and a fine heirloom object, that could capture the emotional depth of individual experiences through sound. The final result is a speculative design project called “Sonic Heirloom,” which facilitates more intimate interaction with memories that would otherwise be lost to their temporality.
The nucleus of the project is a portable recording puck, that encourages users to capture the live sounds of treasured experiences. Once the sound is captured, the puck can be inserted into its permanent home in the glass vitrine. With playback, the brass-hued bell at the center of the piece rotates in harmony with the sound emitted from the player, which rests gently on the bell like a record needle. Over a long period of use the bell’s sound becomes imbued with the unique resonance of the recording, adding a layer of depth to the listening experience.
On the joint project, Map creative director Jake Weir said “Sonic Heirloom is rooted in extensive and fascinating research that guided us through numerous paths of discovery,” in a statement. “Our goal is to create a new physical archetype that encapsulates the concept while remaining both precious and unexpected,” he continued.
The concept was inspired by the role of historic sonic mediums like bells and clocks, that kept time and structured daily rituals. With this in mind, Map Project Office and Father had the bell cast by a traditional foundry using pre-existing tin and copper to achieve a unique sonic signature.
In the digital age, where times change at light speed and physical objects reach unprecedented levels of disposability, there is indeed a lost sense of continuity and permanence. With this speculative project, Map Project Office and Father invite people to listen more deeply and consciously, holding on to cherished moments in brand new ways.
