2020

Robotic Orchestra

Interpreting live music into a ceramic facade.

Can we evoke matter with music? 

Can we materialise the music? 

Can we create a dialogue between matter and music? 

Can technology connect the art of music with the craft of ceramic?

In the context of the past concert season “The Elements” interpreted by the Orquestra Ciutat de Granollers, a new artistic intervention has been shown where several robots are inspired by the music of the orchestra to work 7 large pieces of clay that are now part of the façade of the same auditorium in Granollers.

An art performance involving robots, music, ceramic and computational design, that is interpreted in direct a classic concert into a ceramic facade.

Year:

  • 2019-20

Client

  • Auditori de Granollers

Partners

  • Cumella - Artistic Direction and ceramic expert IAAC - Development of the process and implementation of the project VIcosystems - Robotics integrator Universal Robots (UR) - Robot manufacturer & technical support

Music

  • "Els Elements" performed by the Orquestra de Cambra de Granollers

Team

  • Alexandre Dubor, Cristian Rizzuti, Kunal Chadah, Hazal Yilmaz
https://advancedarchitecturegroup.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Robotic-Orchestra-4-2.jpg

Based on the experience gained during the “Robotic Ceramic Facade” project for the Ohla hotel in Barcelona (Isern + Cumella + IAAC, 2017) this new project reinforces the connection between music and robotics. This time the project connects music and robotics in real time, interpreting the music live and performing with robotics at the same time.

This entails a high-level technology challenge that IAAC solved connecting technology across different disciplines and developing custom algorithms and pipelines. In particular, the project explored the connection between a FFT sound analysis (“Fast Fourier Transform”), an artistic programming system (VVVV), a computational drawing system (Grasshopper 3D), a robotic control system (ROS) and a couple of 6-axis collaborative industrial robots (UR).

After months of development and experimentation, The robots performed live in the Auditori of Granollers, interpreting the music from more than 30 talented musicians, in front of an audience of more than 200. 

The project has received the acclamation of the public and local TV, Radio and press. The final ceramic pieces are now installed permanently in the Auditorium 

Project elaborated with the support of the Master in Robotics and Advanced Construction at IAAC. 

Year:

  • 2019-20

Client

  • Auditori de Granollers

Partners

  • Cumella - Artistic Direction and ceramic expert IAAC - Development of the process and implementation of the project VIcosystems - Robotics integrator Universal Robots (UR) - Robot manufacturer & technical support

Music

  • "Els Elements" performed by the Orquestra de Cambra de Granollers

Team

  • Alexandre Dubor, Cristian Rizzuti, Kunal Chadah, Hazal Yilmaz