Miroir Acoustique Monument (Sound Mirror Monument)
2019 submission
Sound mirrors were built by William Tucker during WW1 as giant ‘listening ears’ to detect approaching enemy aircraft; they became obsolete with the advent of the radar system. In the contemporary context, sound mirrors are often used as ‘whisper galleries’ to demonstrate sound focusing. In subverting the symbolic meaning of this military artifact, and encouraging sound focusing and amplification, our proposal aims to stand as an amplifier to contemporary migrant issues, and raise the voices of those who lost their lives.
Sound Mirror becomes a place for collective and solitary reflection. When approaching from the beach, 5,000* individual fingerprint markings filling a 20ft high wall are visible; each representing migrants who have lost their lives in 2018. While facing the lake, the distant whispers of the waters, and what it beholds, are amplified to the visitor; creating a place of refuge, remembrance, and sublime reflection.
—
* Exact number to be determined upon release of 2018 UNCHR statistics.
