ReSilence · Retune the Soundscape of future cities through art and science collaboration

A big challenge in the Urbanism/Mobility sector is not anymore to reduce what we call noise but to qualify the soundscape, to shape the vibrations of urban spaces, and to design the ambiance of the city in a way that makes it enjoyable, secure, and familiar. We must consider acting on the sound of the city as a design issue applied to the most immersive “matter” in order to improve the quality of urban life. If Goethe defined music as liquid architecture, he probably meant that this is the dark matter of our urban environment that we should tame, design, and desire. ReSilence will use new technologies (AI & XR) to 1) explore the borders between noise and music in a changing world by producing an acoustic awareness in urban spaces (not only reducing the intensity of noise, but also considering it as an energy producer and designing positive sounds, sounds we want to preserve and multiply), 2) create new types of sonic urban experiences that expand possibilities for accessibility, active participation/engagement, sustainability, and social inclusion, and 3) involve  and  collaborate  with  artists in order to leverage  multiple sources  of  inspiration, interdisciplinary  collaboration, and  build trust around AI & XR technologies.  ReSilence  will  support Art-Driven Experiments (ADE) through Open Calls to artists (type a) and artist-SME teams (type b), with a specific budget allocated for this purpose. Artists in ReSilence will have access to AI and XR technology in order to reflect on novel uses and their impact on society. They will also help in ensuring that the development process and system behavior of the technologies explicitly acknowledge human values and needs.