Warming/Warning
Visual + Sonic Design
Can the urgency of the contemporary climate crisis be amplified via the sonification of weather data?
A multidisciplinary research project exploring climate anxiety, environmental communication and collective responsibility through graphic design, sound and speculative storytelling.
Sound as warning is nothing new: it is an effective, proven means of information communication. Pitch, specifically, has the unparalleled power to influence emotions.
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Warming/Warning proposes a replicable method for converting weather parameters (temperature, wind speed, humidity, etc.) into sound. Every individual sonic element is therefore directly influenced by live weather data. Not only this—the combination of elements is used to create sonic meaning too. Harmony reflects ideal conditions, whereas dissonance denotes temperature anomalies that are cause for alarm.
As for application, the project's proposal is simple: an unobtrusive widget nested in Spotify's home screen which displays the most pertinent weather information based on the user's location. Clicking will cue the day's soundscape. Day on day, every user's bespoke playlist/s of "weather reports" will automatically continue to grow—highlighting weather trends, alarming or otherwise.
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On the main platform, the day's soundscape is automatically loaded up. Hear the day's summary, or listen to live weather. Try the MVP here.