Ludwig Berger
Sonic Travel: Corsica
Seminar week: Rock buildings and landscapes, singers, 16 listeners & improvisers

We explored the island’s natural and vernacular stone architecture through sound — listening to how granite, limestone and schist shape our perception, indoors and outdoors.

ETH Zurich, 2017

The journey comprised on-site acoustic experiments, soundwalks, and polyphonic singing workshops with locals, aimed at uncovering the perceptual and cultural dimensions of acoustics across the island. As participants traversed Corsica, they engaged in listening exercises to discern how different rock types influence auditory perception. Activities included sound recording and experimental playback with speakers on-site, comparisons of church acoustics, and presentations of traditional Corsican landscape instruments. Through this circumnavigation, the exploration sought to understand how sound and resonance define social spaces within the diverse landscapes of Corsica — the intricate relationship between human culture and geological formations.

Travel planning and course guide: Ludwig Berger

Co-Preparation: Lara Mehling

Participants: Yvo Corpataux, Masahiro Gokita, Marion Hangartner, Niti Malik, Vasiliki Papadimitriou, Anja Schelling, Mara Simone, Elisa Studer, Miriam Wuffli, Max Grünig

Seminar Week, March 2017, Chair of Landscape Architecture Christophe Girot, ETH Zurich