Thematic Description

A rest area for the explorers of the Cosmos. A close encounter with the infinite expanse of Space and the infinite recurrence of Time. Make contact with the Ambient Armchairs to relax and to be with the magnificence of the sky above and the desert below, and a never-ending stream of sounscapes. Open and operating 24 hours a day, 60 minutes an hour, 60 seconds a minute. Come back at different times to experience different phases of the astrosonic cycle.

Narrative Description

Imagine exploring the vast expanse of the open playa beyond the city circle. Out in the distance, a line of bright, multi-colored objects catches your eye. As you draw closer, you realize that you see a line of six shade umbrellas, each of a different color, standing over large similarly colored armchairs, inviting you to sit and take a break on your long journey through the desert. As you sit down, you realize that a personal mini-sound system is built into each chair at the ear level. On a long journey, this will be your most welcome, intimate and soothing stop.

Details

The installation will consist of 6 rotating La-Z-Boy-style recliner armchairs, placed in a staggered row (checker pattern), about 8 feet apart from each other. A set of small computer speakers will be built into the back of each chair. The speakers will be connected to an MP3 player. A continuous 24-hour mixed set of ambient music will be playing on the MP3 player. The music will be selected and placed so as to match the mood of any given time of day. During the day, a brightly colored umbrella will be attached to the back of each chair to provide shade. Each night, the umbrellas will be removed to provide a view of the night sky. Each chair will be equipped with a Luminglas lamp built into the back to make the installation visible and attractive at night. The illumination patterns will respond to music. The color of the lights will match the color of the chairs and umbrellas.

The idea is to provide participants exploring the playa with a place to rest and enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains, the night sky and Black Rock City to the accompaniement of enveloping sounscapes. We would like to place the installation due east of Black Rock City, well out into the open playa. This way, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the sunrise without any large structures blocking the view. Since the chairs will rotate, visitors will have the option of orienting them to their liking (watching the city from a distance, or watching the mountains surrounding the playa). The checker pattern of rotating chairs offers visitors multiple opportunities:

to enjoy the sounds and the views in solitude, without seeing the neighboring chairs, or
to see the patterns of Luminglas lamp on the back of a neighboring chair, or
to orient the chairs in a way that allows a group of visitors to communicate with each other.

The music will be played at a rather low volume, so as to be enjoyed only by those visiting installation (sitting in the armchairs) and not to be audible outside of the radius of several feet. However, in order for our own installation to be successful, it needs to be placed in a reasonably quiet area, without any nearby loud sounds, and with as little nearby visual stimulation as possible. Our installation is intended to be a place of serenity and relaxation, allowing visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the sky and the playa.

The ideal location for our installation would be on the line from the city center (the Man) due East, i.e. in the direction of the sunrise; about two-thirds of the way from the Man to the outer fence. Ideally, there should be minimal or no visual obstructions between the installation and the center of the city, and the installation and the sunrise.

Technical Details

The installation will be powered by a car battery (or several car batteries, if it proves necessary). The batteries, the sound equipment, etc., will be kept in a locked metallic box adjacent to the chairs. The box will be wrapped in lightwire so as to make it visible. The wires and chords connecting the chairs to the box will be kept 2 inches or so underground to minimize potential hazard and damage to the installation.

To make Lumiglas lamps responsive to music, we will take microphones out of the lamp fixtures and place them into the speakers enclosure in each chair.

We will use computer speakers system normally powered by 12Volt DC power supply that includes a small subwoofer, which will be placed in an enclosure underneath each chair. We'll build wooden boxes into the sides of each armchair's back to securely enclose the speakers.

We will calculate the total power requirement of the system (1 mp3 player, 6 lamps, and 6 sets of computer speakers; current estimate ~150 Watt) to figure the total Amp-hour capacity of the battery(ies) we will need. The number of batteries will be doubled to continuously recharge the idle ones. Daily battery change and umbrellas setup/removal are the only maintenance tasks.

To make sure umbrellas withstand the winds, multiple long slits will be cut and reinforced in the umbrella fabric.

Schematic Diagrams

Top view of the installation

Placement of the installation within Burning Man boundaries

Visual Inspirations

If we can find them, we'll use chairs akin to Morpheus' large armchair from The Matrix. The imagery is especially poignant if one recalls "the loading program" - an empty, white room with nothing but armchairs and a TV in it, which are later shown in the "desert of the real world."

Items Required

6 large armchairs, possibly re-upholstered/repainted in different colors
6 Luminglas lamps of different colors
6 sets of 2.1 (with subwoofer) DC powered computer speakers
6 patio shade umbrellas (secured/modified to withstand winds)
6 rotating platforms (e.g., for TVs)
2 MP3 players (one for backup) capable of storing 24 hours of music
2 or more "marine" or "deep cycle" batteries from Costco (equal number for running and backup/recharging)
1 AC battery charger
materials for building enclosures (wood boxes for speakers; small metal locker)
additional safety lighting (el-wire or blinking LED's)

Budget

Used IKEA Poang armchairs: about $35 each on craigslist
Speaker sets: assuming $35 each
Swivel platforms: assuming $25 each
Patio/market umbrellas: assuming $20 each

Actual expenses

Poang chairs: $25, $35, $35, $42, $35 (Sasha paid; 1 $35 has to be re-sold on craigslist); $25, $25 (Max paid)
Market umbrellas: $25, $15 (Sasha paid); $15, $25 (Max paid)
Speakers: $25, $20 (Sasha paid)
Home depot: 6 Lazy Susan bearings + screws + wood, $139 (Sasha paid) + ** (TBD, due to multiple returns/new purchases)
2 Lumiglass Lamps at Spencer's Gifts: $109 (Sasha paid)
Deep-Cycle Marine Battery at Costco: $65 (Sasha paid)
Battery charger at Kragen's: $44 (Sasha paid)
Collateral damage: lost turntable weight (party): $25 (Max paid); dead drill (Sasha's)