To celebrate the Museum of Glass’ 10 year anniversary and new branding we wanted to throw an event that showcased glass in a new way. Instead of displaying glass formed into art we wanted to display the destruction of glass as an art form.
We decided to organize a concert where bands and audience members could shatter glass with sound waves. We designed and created what we called “Shatter Boxes” where people could attempt to shatter wine glasses by manipulating the sound waves inside the box with controls mounted on the outside. A larger Shatterbox was available for the audience to interact with and a smaller Shatterbox was on stage for the bands attempting to shatter glass with their sound. Toward the end of each band’s set, the audience would crowd around the box to watch the wine glass begin to vibrate and come to life before being destroyed.
To promote the event we had mobile demonstrations of the Shatterbox in action, along with posters and a TV spot (shot at 5,000 frames per second) where we witness the convincing and eerily beautiful results of sound waves violently shattering glass.
We decided to organize a concert where bands and audience members could shatter glass with sound waves. We designed and created what we called “Shatter Boxes” where people could attempt to shatter wine glasses by manipulating the sound waves inside the box with controls mounted on the outside. A larger Shatterbox was available for the audience to interact with and a smaller Shatterbox was on stage for the bands attempting to shatter glass with their sound. Toward the end of each band’s set, the audience would crowd around the box to watch the wine glass begin to vibrate and come to life before being destroyed.
To promote the event we had mobile demonstrations of the Shatterbox in action, along with posters and a TV spot (shot at 5,000 frames per second) where we witness the convincing and eerily beautiful results of sound waves violently shattering glass.
Case Film
Promotional Film
Shatter Box
When you see experiments where people are shattering glass with audio waves it’s usually in a lab or classroom setting. We wanted to create a mobile device that allows people to have the same exciting experience in a more casual setting.
We designed the Shatterbox. A one of a kind apparatus with which a person can destroy glass using sound as easily as they can play a video game at an arcade.
The Shatterbox opens up and a wine glass is placed on a shelf in front of a speaker. The Shatterbox is then closed and latched up. The user manipulates the audio waves with the controls mounted on the front. As the tones begin to match the natural resonance of the wine glass, the glass starts to vibrate until the volume causes it to flex too far and it shatters apart. As the vibrations roll through the glass, areas with small flaws are stressed beyond their limits and a crack rips through the material.
We designed the Shatterbox. A one of a kind apparatus with which a person can destroy glass using sound as easily as they can play a video game at an arcade.
The Shatterbox opens up and a wine glass is placed on a shelf in front of a speaker. The Shatterbox is then closed and latched up. The user manipulates the audio waves with the controls mounted on the front. As the tones begin to match the natural resonance of the wine glass, the glass starts to vibrate until the volume causes it to flex too far and it shatters apart. As the vibrations roll through the glass, areas with small flaws are stressed beyond their limits and a crack rips through the material.
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