Commute

Commute is an immersive, interactive audio experience that explores the sound footprint of a public transportation line.

Problem

The goal of Commute was to raise awareness of noise pollution in the city. We wanted to see and hear the noises that surround us each day - noises that impact on our health and energy levels.

Data

Armed with a sound level meter and an audio recorder, we rode every Paris metro line to build the first sound database of the Paris transport system.

Solution

Commute combines vision and audio in a poetic way: the app breaks recorded noise down into frequencies and intensities, and then transforms them into beautiful visual and sound patterns. The app therefore provides the opportunity to both listen to and watch data that relates to a daily metro journey.

Throughout the project, we experimented with data sonication. In Commute, the data generates a harmonious melody thanks to an algorithm that matches the decibels collected with the harmonic frequencies in a pentatonic scale.

Highlight

With Commute, we hope that the immersive experience, the interactivity and the sounds can give something back each day to people living in large cities.