Riversssounds is an online residency program that caters to sound artists. It was created by DZESTRA, SEMI SILENT, and Ukrainian sound artist Anna Khvyl. The program aims to document the sounds of various European rivers and to remind people of nature's beauty.
The web platform was designed to showcase the output of the residency program, which features field recordings from different rivers. The focus of the platform is on the listening experience, and interactive mechanics were developed to create a "virtual travel" experience for users.
The artists who participate in the program must record the sounds of rivers in their vicinity. The website contains recordings of rivers like the Dniester, Danube, Main, Nyvka, and others. Each river has its own page with unique configurations and soundscapes. Users can move the cursor through the grid on the river profile page to hear different proportions of the recordings. They can also create their mix using the residence recordings and built-in effects.
The project team worked closely with the design partners to ensure that they understood the subtleties and approach required for the project. The visual style of the platform reflects the spirit and mission of the project, with "sound" and "fluidity" motifs. The platform's design is neutral and minimalistic, creating an association with nature and emphasizing the relaxed interactivity and listening experience as the main focus of the platform.
The project was launched during the COVID-19 crisis, which led to the cancellation of most offline events. The platform's "virtual journey" concept allowed people to experience new things at home. Despite the limitations of working with sound on the web, the project successfully created a new interaction between art and the audience, demonstrating how cultural projects can evolve digitally. The project received recognition with the Red Dot in the Web Special, Interactive Platform category and Webby Awards.
