CLAPICONIA

Winner of an IESANZ Award of Commendation, CLAPICONIA was an interactive sound and light installation commissioned by Destination NSW for VIVID Light 2014.

CLAPICONIA loves to perform, enticing people off George Street in The Rocks into the Suez Canal. Clap for it, and its stylised flower pods become illuminated castanets that snap open and shut to each stem’s individual rhythm.

Conceptually, CLAPICONIA is inspired by the Heliconia pendula plant – a native of the tropical Americas and Pacific Islands. The installation’s stylised interpretation consists of flat, triangular aluminium panels reflecting the brightly lit stamen inside - recalling the festive colours of percussion castanets. The flat panels are joined together to form ‘pods,’ whose malleable edges allow the flower to fold open and snap shut during ‘performance’. Solenoids enable the stylised pods to snap shut in tune to each stem’s unique rhythm.

With its interactive castanets, bright colours, and clapping sounds, CLAPICONIA invited passers-by to join in a cacophony of sound. It was installed in the Suez Canal in The Rocks, Sydney, from May 23 - June 9 2014.

Project Team: Rana Abboud (Design), Ewen Wright (Technical & Fabrication). Special Thanks to Xavier Nuttall (Structural Engineer)

CLAPICONIA stems can be made to order. To enquire about purchasing, please contact us.