Client: Stockholm Gas / TBWA
Project: Vintage synth generating music with gas in glass tubes.
The challenges to build this instrument were many.
The controller keyboard should have a vintage feel and design with design references to the classic Mini Moog, seemingly made of Mahogny but as we don't want to support deforestation, we used Swedish oak with special coating.
The construction of the tubes was not easy as the 18 valves and gas nozzles should fit in a cover small enough so that the whole organ could fit into a fireplace. Handling the gas flow with arduino controlled relays was also a challenge as gas can travel in all directions.
After finally finding a factory that could cut hardened glass, the mathematic to calculate the length of the tubes adapted to the speed of sound in very high temperature proved to be a bit complicated.
But the result was a beautiful instrument that capture the power and beauty of gas. And the artist Grant showed the potential of the instrument.
Stockholm Gas/TBWA explored a new way of communicating how gas might be used in homes, not only for cooking.
Design and project management by Hakan Lidbo
Gas organ by Mattias Jönsson/Panorama FX
Synth construction by Ebrahim Isaacs
Programming and electronics by Max Bjorverud
Keyboard by Farzaneh Farkish
Tube length calculation by Johan E Andersson
Management TBWA Tobias Bergenwall
