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The Biophilic Instrument Pavilion: Spatialisation across disciplines

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 October 2025

Julie Herndon*
Affiliation:
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Thomas Fowler
Affiliation:
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
*
Corresponding author: Julie Herndon; Email: herndon@calpoly.edu

Abstract

This article explores biophilic (nature-centred) instrument design and its intersection with architecture and music. While the connection between these disciplines is often discussed figuratively, they are less often combined in practice. The Biophilic Instrument Pavilion (BIP), a site-responsive sound and light installation, serves as a model for such a collaboration using biophilic design as a unifying principle. This multidisciplinary project demonstrates spatialisation in ecological, sonic, visual and social contexts, offering insights into environmental instrument practices and collaborative creative processes.

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Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Discography

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