Kelly Nunes Studio
Earth Room
Earth Room is a permanent interactive multimedia installation by Kelly Nunes and Nico Fonseca which explores the ways in which we relate to different facets of nature, and feel connected to all forms of life on Earth. From the iron crystals at the heart of the Earth's core to the solar winds that dance through the geomagnetic field, suspended in the balance are all Earthly life forms. Earth Room is a space of myriad scale, where visitors assume the pose of earthly creatures, and have their perspectives filtered through teeming vegetation, spatialized nature sounds, and bespoke lighting objects. A variety of real plants and soil form the foundation for the multi-sensory component of the experience.
Interactive lighting and scenographic design elements combine to mimic magma, seismic activity, electrical storms, and the aurora borealis; while sound design and spatialization draw the visitors ears to the audible movements of nature. This therapeutic component of the experience is proven to lower adrenaline and cortisol levels in visitors suffering from stress. Isochronic tones activate Delta, Theta, and Alpha brainwaves in visitors who engage with the various interactive animal poses, providing further relief from symptoms of anxiety.
Through a process developed by Dear Human design studio, waste paper is reconstituted into “paper-tile’ and “paper-rock”, to form the majority of the materials used in the installation. This sustainable approach to production was pertinent and essential to the core principles held by the client, Age of Union.
Montreal, 2021
Conception and Direction: Kelly Nunes & Nico Fonseca
Commissioned by: Age of Union
Technical Direction: Mattieu Gagnon Lamarre
Lighting Design: Ghislain Brodeur
Touch Designer Developer: Owen Kirby
3D Design: Mark Weersink, Steven Steffen
Upcycled Materials: Dear Human
Sound Design, Mix Engineer: Phil Rochefort
Graphic Design/Illustrations: Lucy Rybicka
Fabrication: Double Effet