Dancing with your shadow sounds like a solitary activity (thanks, Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra), but this time, it’s not: Interactive design studio Daily tous les jours has created a pavement that sings in Arizona. That’s right—your shadow triggers sounds both melodic and percussive. You become your own accompaniment to the shadow dance you spontaneously create!
If this sounds like a really cool project, keep in mind that Daily tous les jours are the same people who created The Swings. Sound designer David Drury created scores for four different times of the day—morning, midday, evening and nighttime—to reflect varying shadow lengths. (And for good measure, sound can also be triggered by stepping on the sensors, since shadows aren’t around all day, every day.)
If you’re interested in how the sensors were installed and/or are triggered, check this article out. And if you’re near Arizona’s Mesa Arts Center, be sure to check out the exhibit (called Mesa Musical Shadows).
