THE CHIME WAY
COLIN WANG
Lead engineer & technical designer
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“The Chime Way is a public installation in San Leandro, California designed to pique curiosity and facilitate interaction disguised as merely a simple place to sit. It consists of a set of eight rocking chairs, each with a ratchet and cam mechanism connected to a hammer. With each rock, the visitor lifts the hammer until it reaches its apex, then drops and strikes a chime.
Located in a thoroughfare plaza, the installation gives people a reason to not only slow down and explore the space, but also to interact with one another to coordinate the chimes and help strangers discover how the seemingly static chairs are responsible for the reverberating tolls heard above.
The Chime Way is a project of the Exploratorium’s Studio for Public Spaces (SPS), which works in the public realm to create exhibits and environments that encourage play, exploration, creativity, and social connection.
As the lead engineer of the project, I worked with the architect and city representatives in developing a design with practicality, safety, and user experience in mind. These sketches were drawn by Josh Bacigalupi, the Exploratorium SPS architect.”
–colinwangdesign.com
android snaps: kneipho 2018