Redefining Soundscapes
Stood beneath a bridge of the railway, I could picture Mayfield more clearly than ever before. The rail infrastructure is full of hidden pockets of beauty, not visible, but sometimes audible. Inspired by these whispered secrets of the city, aiming to reconnect Mayfield to the city centre, I am proposing a space to explore, archive, and reimagine the urban soundscape.
To achieve site activation, a sound walk around Mayfield is proposed. Using umbrellas as portable sound pods and sound collectors, the community can actively listen to the urban soundscape.
As the second phase of my proposal, the soundLAB will be constructed. Considering FLUX’s position of building only what is necessary, I am designing a removable structure placed within Mayfield Depot, using the existing urban fabric instead of constructing a new building. The barrier that the Depot poses is broken with a passage formed through it, reconnecting the city and making it more resilient.
Using materiality and form as tools, the design is shaped to create unique sound environments. Sound instruments are placed around the site, drawing direct sound connections across the spaces. The community is invited into the soundLAB to experiment with and discover the urban sounds, forming personal connections to Mayfield.
SoundLAB utilises the urban soundscape as a connecting thread tying the city together.
Along with the development of other sites resisting urban regeneration, an archipelago of connections between Mayfield and Manchester city centre are formed, opening up the city, bringing about a state of change.
