designboom · Creativity & design

Alpine Pavilion 'Le Bruit du Bois' Becomes a Musical Instrument

A temporary pavilion in the French Alps, 'Le Bruit du Bois' (The Sound of Wood), is designed to be played like an instrument. It features nearly 1,000 wooden chimes that produce tones when struck or moved by the wind.

Designed by four ENSA Montpellier students for the Festival des Cabanes, the 15-square-meter installation uses timber elements of varying lengths to create sound sequences. Visitors can play the structure like a large xylophone with the valley as its acoustic space.

The pavilion's architecture repeats a slender, four-centimeter timber batten, forming both structure and sound elements. These pieces are suspended to create visual interest while allowing landscape views.

The structure sits on an elevated walkway to accommodate uneven ground. Inside, timber surrounds the user, but gaps between chimes maintain views of mountains and fields.

The design integrates sound with the alpine setting, allowing the pavilion to respond to visitors and the environment. It emphasizes listening, a concept fitting for a festival of landscape interventions.

The project uses simple materials and natural acoustics, transforming a small structure into an instrument with a reach beyond its footprint. It shifts between active play and passive response to weather.

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