Briar Bayler

My mother, who lost her hearing aged thirty-five, once told me she missed the sound of birds singing and the rain on the roof. Some of the most simple sounds are the most loved and familiar. Accepting the loss of these can be a difficult process. I undertook a year-long conceptual research project that sought to use design to visualise the experience of hearing so that the hard of hearing can reconnect with lost sounds. I explored a new type of visualisation —emotional sound visualisation — which focussed on the feel of sounds, rather than the auditory aspect. Seeing Sounds is a series of interactive augmented reality (AR) murals that visualise soundscapes around Wellington city. Waves crashing at the beach, birdsong in the forest, or the chatter of conversation — translated into visuals so that those who cannot hear can once again ‘listen’… with their eyes.