AXIS

A sonic inspection of holistic design, catalysed by 100% Design Africa.

The question ‘What does good design sound like?’ invites us to transcend visual aesthetics and investigate the interplay of materiality; particularly that of sound, space, and time in the design process. 

Initially prompted by 100% Design’s theme of ‘designing for good’ (or inversely stated, design that is sound for both people and planet), this inquiry explores the double entendre embedded within the idea of ‘sound’ design. Interrogating the definitions of good design; and of sound as a design element; provides a greater understanding of how sensory experiences shape human interactions with the environments, objects, and the experiences we build.

To recognise sound; an intangible and unseen phenomenon; as matter, we must expand the definition of materiality to encompass seemingly invisible forms. According to our third design principle at ‘with another’, we define multi-sensory materialism as the acknowledgement that: the material from which we shape our worlds, comes in a diverse array of expressions, extending beyond the merely physical. This perspective calls for the appreciation and legitimacy of the full spectrum of materiality in fostering inclusive imaginaries.

The relationship between sound and design unfolds through shared linguistic and conceptual frameworks. Phrases like ‘sound judgment’, ‘that resonates’, and the more informal ‘good vibrations’, underscore how auditory qualities often symbolise integrity, balance, and excellence. This connection also highlights the profound influence of auditory elements on perceptions of harmony in spatial and object design. David Byrne’s ‘How Music Works’ offers a compelling analogy when exploring the space-sound connection, stating: “Percussive music carries well outdoors, where people might be both dancing and milling about. That same [intricately arranged] music would turn into sonic mush in a cathedral. Western music in the Middle Ages was performed in these stone-walled gothic cathedrals, and in architecturally similar monasteries and cloisters. The music perfectly fits the place where it is heard, sonically and structurally…the music, a living thing, evolved to fit the available niche”.

Esperanza Spalding’s musical oeuvre provides a parallel to the dynamic relationship between sound and context. Embedded within the album titles ‘Chamber Music Society’ and ‘Radio Music Society’, is the juxtaposition of the introspection and intimacy of chamber music with the extroverted, extensive reach of radio music. Chamber music, defined by Spalding as “the music of friends”, fosters reflective dialogue, demanding the listener to draw in, listening actively; while radio music is meant to reach the listener, meeting them where they are within the vast expanse.

Some key musical pieces that stood out during our investigation, were created on the premise of uncovering the contextual sounds that surround us, and considering them as malleable entities from which we can imagine entirely new auditory propositions. 

Trained in Indian classical music, and educated as a biologist, Modern Biology uncovers the unheard living sounds of the land in his offering titled Aegean Sea. By capturing and using implements such as “plant bio-electricity, latent electromagnetic radiation, and even the earth’s resonant hum”, he transforms the sounds rooted deeply in the ground we walk on, and catapults them into a sonic narrative, re-contextualising them for our ears. 

Similarly, tennis aficionado Indian Wells, (named after the eponymous venue that hosts the BNP Paribas Open) created Racquets; a piece in which he transforms the auditory cues of tennis matches into music, recalling the rhythm and precision of the sport. In doing so, the musician reimagines familiar sports apparatus and the sounds emitted in use, to transcend their utilitarian functions and evoke new meaning for a completely different spatial reality and audience.

These tracks serve as living case studies, inviting listeners to experience sound not only as a fleeting phenomenon but as a substantive form imbued with constructive potential. Through these aforementioned pieces, we can experience new layers of sensory appreciation, attuning ourselves to engage with our organic and built environments more deeply.

The cover art accompanying the soundscape of this project, is an image titled “Animal sounds, made visible by Bell’s translator,” from György Kepes’ seminal 1956 book ‘The New Landscape in Art and Science’. Kepes, a Hungarian-born painter, designer, and educator; worked alongside László Moholy-Nagy at the New Bauhaus school in Chicago. His work sought to forge a common language between science, art and design, often using organic elements as the bridge. In this book Kepes explored the visual worlds revealed by scientific instruments, presenting images of phenomena too vast, minute, or fleeting for the unaided eye. In translating sound to light, Kepes unveiled the abstract patterns embedded within the sounds of life, making them perceptible and immortal for us to hear them infinitely with our eyes.

So what does good design sound like? It sounds like life and its incredibly layered realities. It opens pathways for us to live with our whole being, helping our conscious selves understand and appreciate the tangible and intangible forces that fuel our bodies, souls and spirits, while allowing us to be situated in the current time. By embracing the multi-sensory, design becomes a dialogue—an embodied phenomenological practice that connects us to the world and further to ourselves.

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Better reflected together, with another

!Huni //hÄb

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with another is an art, design and research led consultancy and studio. Through our end-to-end offerings, we create multi-sensory products, services and experiences that centre inclusivity across the physical, digital and intellectual realms.

Review by Dom Hurd of EASY FREAK:

To me, good design sounds like what you need in the moment. Just like music, design has the power to calm, to heal, to inspire and even energise. This playlist is a collection of music that does just that. There are moments of rest  – the feeling of dappled sunlight through a bay window encapsulated in ‘Future Sand’ by Ezra Feinberg (Make sure to check out the entire album entitled ‘Soft Power’). There are moments of healing – a standout for me being the warmth of Ayande Sikade’s brushed drum strokes on ‘Imithandazo Yeengelosi’. I was inspired by the multi-instrumentalist Shabaka’s ‘Call it a European paradox’, a wonderfully peaceful etude that explores his flute playing as well as saxophone.

This song felt like a cool afternoon, an open, shaded space with a breeze and time to breathe. Two thirds into the playlist, we move into more upbeat songs, full of movement and energy. A standout is ‘Quietude’ by Clap! Clap!, a mixture of a house backbeat with an array of percussion and jazz harmony. It feels like a pop of colour on an accent wall, striking yet complimentary to the space’s purpose. The collection rounds off in more muted tones, guiding us to a tranquil end. Overall, the ‘What Does Good Design Sound Like?’ playlist was a relaxing respite from the busyness of life, perfect for time spent in a space that you love.

Dom Hurd

CREDIT: with another, Pumla Maswanganyi, Cherné Africa