Research Trip

Reflection

The Research Trip proved to be a remarkable adventure, offering a profound connection with nature. Admittedly, integrating the concept of my thesis—focused on mental health and technology, particularly artificial intelligence—into the natural setting was initially challenging. However, following the Design Dialogues, where I gained insights into the significance of senses in inducing calmness, such as touch, smell, sight, and sound, I embarked on this trip with a new perspective.

For me, the Research Trip became an exploration of these senses within the context of nature, seeking to identify which ones had a calming effect on me. Armed with tools like a microphone, I set out to capture repetitive yet soothing sounds of nature to alleviate my anxiety. Upon recording these elements, it became evident that, with Jorge’s collaboration, we could craft a song that encapsulated our journey.

Thus, the Research Trip evolved into a personal voyage, delving into the realm of sound to convey my emotions and experiences through music. Despite my lack of musical knowledge, I embraced the opportunity to not only listen to nature in a new light but also to learn the art of composition, understanding tones, pauses, and melodies.

This journey provided a break from the constant focus on mental health improvement, allowing me to explore sound, music, and their emotional impact. In doing so, I indirectly advanced my thesis, alotough in an unconventional manner.

Moving forward, I aim to further explore the concept of touch, which I did not fully delve into during the trip. Although it may not directly relate to nature, I intend to incorporate elements that instill peace and tranquility into my future projects. For instance, integrating natural scented candles or sounds reminiscent of water and birdsong can foster a sensory connection with nature, facilitating relaxation and detachment from urban life.

Deliverable

In this project, we embarked on a hike and recorded various sounds along the way. We captured repetitive sounds with a musical quality, mainly water and birdsong. These recordings formed the basis for a song that would encapsulate our entire journey. The beginning of the song reflects the inception of our project, mirroring the ascent up the mountain—calm and steady. As we progressed, the music transitioned to a playful tone, echoing our interactions with the snow and the serene pause for lunch, where we paused to immerse ourselves in nature’s symphony. Then, the melody shifted to reflect the more challenging phase of our hike, as we ascended further up the mountain, contending with increasingly adverse weather conditions. This segment of the song became more dynamic, mirroring the intensity of our uphill climb amidst the rain.

Listen to the song Jorge and I created :)