Multimedia & Art Installation

Parliament of Canada:
The Immersive Experience

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I. The Challenge

This ambitious project marries music and architecture to create an auditory masterpiece that guides visitors through an exploration of space and time.

Centre Block, the historical seat of Canada’s Parliament, closed in 2019 for extensive renovations. The landmark had previously welcomed over 350,000 visitors every year, and to ensure continued access to the building during the closure, the Library of Parliament commissioned this memorable immersive experience.

The fantastic journey, set by the iconic Peace Tower on Parliament Hill, takes travelers through the concept of time writ large. The structure is both a familiar part of daily life and a mark of the historical seat of power, and the clock and its mechanisms stood as both metaphor and inspiration.

II. The Creative Process

Flute and granular Synthesis

Through the delicate brushstrokes of granular synthesis, the realms of acoustic and electronic sounds were melded, conjuring sonic particles that danced through the air, evoking an eternal cycle of creation and transformation. Inspired by the Parliament clock's timeless cadence, a heartbeat-like rhythm pulsed at sixty beats per minute, reminiscent of our human pulse and of the rhythm that propels history. The main musical motif, a relentless ostinato, is a gentle reminder us of the clock's tireless ticking, marking time as society's narrative unfolds.

III. The Outcome

The artistic odyssey is nothing short of mesmerizing, surrounding visitors with the unfurling echoes of violins, horns, and an organ recorded within the reverberating embrace of a cathedral. The auditory masterpiece stands as a symbol of Parliament's grandeur, and a testament to the artistic and political heft within its walls.