Group Concept

Originally our concept was created when thinking about the room we had chosen; the toilet.
We thought about what role it plays in a building and how it has a natural unique environment to it, which is unlike any other room in the Audio Foundation, and for that matter – any other public building.

There is a whole psychological process which one undergoes when sharing this room with a stranger. The ambience is dramatically altered and one’s self-conscious is increased, weary of signs that they may give off or signs that the stranger gives off.

Privacy is an important factor in a toilet, and in a toilet there are certain measures in place such as a cubicle armed with a lock. This cubicle provides visuals to be blocked out and some assurance that no one will walk in while you are exposed, but there are no measures in place to prevent noises being heard by strangers.

No soundproof walls which would block out potentially embarrassing noises being shared. In some western toilets they play calming ‘elevator music’ for the users to relax and also to block out uncomfortable silence. In some other cultures the cubicles are equipped with a bell which is rung when the user pees/poops.

In this project we have decided to investigate these feelings by means of sound with the help of microphones and recordings.

Using microphones we are going to pick up noises that the user/s make, and amplify and distort these noises. This will make the user question the natural feelings the user is inclined to have when in this environment.

Further, we will be playing sound recordings of different environments in the toilet to alter the familiar environment that the user is accustomed to and to force them to step out of their comfort zone.