founding partners
The journey of spæs lab began when we first met at the international conference Sounding Out the Space in Dublin, where we discovered our shared fascination with the spatial aesthetics in sound. Inspired by the event’s focus on the spatiality of sound, we envisioned an independent lab that would explore the myriad ways in which sound shapes space. Determined to move beyond the constraints of academic and commercial frameworks, we founded spæs lab to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Combining our backgrounds in sound art, research, and scenographic design, we created a space where artistic, scientific, and technological perspectives merge, advancing the auditory qualities of immersive media and artificial environments.
Gerriet K. Sharma, sound artist, composer, artistic researcher, founding partner of IKO weave and spæs
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In this practice, the loudspeaker holds a unique place. It is both a tool and an instrument—a way to place sound within space, to give it direction, shape, and texture. Through this, we explore how sound moves, how it interacts with surfaces and volumes, and how it colors the air around us.
For over 20 years, our collective has been driven by curiosity and a commitment to collaboration. We bring together voices from the arts, architecture, music, design, XR, and more, creating a space where ideas flow freely and disciplines merge. This convergence enables us to cultivate critical reflection and deepen our understanding of how sound, space, and human experience intersect.
Our work exists at the intersection of science, practice, and academia. This dynamic exchange of ideas and skills fuels our ongoing exploration of spatial aesthetics. We are committed to pushing the boundaries of how sound and space coexist, inviting new practices and perspectives to emerge.
manifesto
Our manifesto reflects our commitment to challenging established practices and promoting a deeper understanding of spatial aesthetics in sound.#01
Throughout the past century, the awareness of space has affected all kinds of disciplines.#02
With the introduction of spatial audio technologies, the production of sonic spaces has become a growing field of interest for many creatives including composers and sound designers—and for diverse audiences.#03
Still, the vast majority of research and creative practice aims to refine technologies and methods to (re-)create a naturalistic auditory experience — paying little attention to the question of how we experience space in its various dimensions, including the phenomenological, the social, and the emotional space.#04
Similarly, creatives limit themselves by formulating and realizing their ideas sourced from technology-enabled effects.#05
For now, it seems that we have entered a phase of vast, loud, colorful and impressive sound images, compositions, effects — overwhelming and highly sensational, but often restricted by a limited focus on a software-hardware-in-use-debate.#06
Are we just throwing around sounds? (Jonty Harrison, 1999)#07
Despite that many recent spatialized musical works treat the space as an after-thought applied only after the piece is done composing, many composers working in the field of spatialized music are convinced that an understanding of the function of spatial characteristics is a crucial prerequisite to the work.#08
Ultimately, spatial audio technologies are just the tools to translate ideas into concrete listening experiences—a too often forgotten fact—but spatial sound is rarely discussed, evaluated, and reflected with all the multifaceted dimensions of space.#09
We don’t know enough. For example, there is little shared agreement on the understanding of the basic terms such as sound or space, of its multiple relationships, and of the implications to applying this knowledge to the various fields including art, music, design, theatre, film, architecture, scenography, etc.#10
Being aware of the structural limitations of academic and commercial institutions, we are establishing an independent lab dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of the spatial aesthetics in sound.key concepts
sound
is a dynamic and contextual phenomenon that emerges from the interactions between bodies, environments, and technologies. It actively shapes our experiences and perceptions, influencing how we engage with the spaces we inhabit.
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is a dynamic and contextual phenomenon that emerges from the interactions between bodies, environments, and technologies. It actively shapes our experiences and perceptions, influencing how we engage with the spaces we inhabit.
-> read more
space
is a vibrant and relational construct that evolves through our perceptions, movements, and interactions. It is continuously co-created through the interplay of sound, body, and environment, reflecting the dynamic nature of our experiences.
-> read more
is a vibrant and relational construct that evolves through our perceptions, movements, and interactions. It is continuously co-created through the interplay of sound, body, and environment, reflecting the dynamic nature of our experiences.
-> read more
aesthetics
is a vital practice that actively shapes perception and experience through sound and space. It arises from the rich engagement of the senses, cultural contexts, and creative intentions, guiding our processes of composition, listening, and inhabiting the world.
is a vital practice that actively shapes perception and experience through sound and space. It arises from the rich engagement of the senses, cultural contexts, and creative intentions, guiding our processes of composition, listening, and inhabiting the world.
