Augmenting A Disused Railway Tunnel With Light And Sound

Cycling along a disused railway line could make for a pretty dingy experience, but fortunately that's not the case with the Combe Down Tunnel situated below the suburbs of Bath in the UK. The mile-long train tunnel became part of the Two Tunnels Greenway, a walking and cycling path, earlier this year.

And earlier this month the tunnel was augmented with a sound and light installation, called Passage, from United Visual Artists and Mira Calix, with the former providing the visuals and Calix producing the sound design. The installation consists of interactive orbs which are situated in side arches and take their inspiration from the light reflectors used by the old trains, nodding to the tunnel's industrial past.

The glowing discs are fitted with motion sensors and dotted throughout the tunnel and also feature viola and cello scores composed by Calix. These soundscapes change depending on the speed and distance of people approaching, providing reassurance to them as they navigate their way along what can be a daunting underground pathway.

You can check out our profile on Mira Calix below…

And also check out UVA's huge LED sculpture they produced for our 2011 New York event.

[via Design Indaba]