To Listen

A storage box with resonating sound. Opening and closing of the lid results in a sound dictated by the dimensions of the box.

Role: Furniture Designer
Fall '20

The lid moves along the side panels and rotates as the side panels ride along the radius of the bottom side panels. The two prongs inside the lid acts as a stopper and a hammer; keeping the lid within the construction of the box and making a sound as it hits the rear panel. The cuts in the front and the small gap in the rear allows sound to resonate.

Process

I wanted to explore the auditory sensation when interacting with furniture. What would an organic sound of a furniture sound like?

I refrained from using foreign material apart from wood and complex mechanisms to make sound. I enjoyed the sound of two pieces of flat wood panels hitting against one another and proceeded to explore forms that would replicate that sensation. A storage box struck me as a natural fit, as it is a piece of furniture that one would frequently interact with.

The sound of the lid closing and opening is a “by-product” of the user attempting to simply use the box. I like to see it as the sound amplifying the tactile sensation of interacting with the box, instead of the sound being its main purpose. The sound has a definitive presence but does not assert itself as a foreign element. It is a pleasant surprise, but it stays true to the nature of the box.

Scale Variation

1/2 scale + 1/4"-thick Plywood. The combination of different material, thickness and perforation resulted in very different sounds.