The Bridge is one of the main passageways connecting two building complexes on the SAP Walldorf campus and it is host to the interactive music piece Building Bridges, jointly composed with Vienna-based composer Rupert Huber. Translating the movements of the pedestrians through a compositional algorithm, The Bridge serves as stage and instrument at the same time.

Every person is tracked by Ars Electronica Futurelab’s custom Pharus laser tracking system. This system can read people’s movements and consecutively triggers the playback of tones. Each of the 48 individual tones is assigned to one of the speakers that are evenly distributed in the ceiling of the 60 meter long passageway, summing up to 96 tones for both walking directions. This linear arrangement of evenly distributed sound sources in the space renders an always-unique composition created by the madding crowd. 48 meeting sounds, which become audible when people meet and pass each other by, additionally reinforce activities on The Bridge. The sounds are based on recordings of classic instruments such as piano, horn, flute, viola and contrabass—played by SAP employees, who are members of the unofficial SAP Orchestra.

Listen to the composition: https://ruperthuber.com/building_brigdes