A Hydrogen Daydream
Created by Kat & The Hydrogen Atoms at The Elemental Centre for Innovation
A Hydrogen Daydream is a new immersive exploration of the climate emergency from the perspective of a hydrogen atom. It asks humans working in innovation to think about twhat they could learn from the elements- particularly hydrogen that does not conform, that flows through and sees everything. It pushes for the need to shift perspectives aruond natural resources being percieved as collaborators in innovation. This nods to new ways to embed inclusive design for both nature and humans when shaping the future.
All of the sounds composed are created and inspired using the drone sounds of hydrogen combustion at Brunel University. It incorporates sounds of nature at risk in local areas including the heavily polluted Little Britain Lake. The compositions are created when entering flow-state, like hydrogen itself.
The showcase was achieved through a custom built spatial audio rig that brought hydrogen to life through a contraption. It created an agora space to foster collaboration with nature and humans at a time of siloed thinking. The project is part of a growing mission to encourage nature-human collaborations through elemental thinking and flow-state. Its inception was made possible thanks to ACE, Brunel University and VOICE (Horizon Europe).
With thanks to all human collaborators:
Seb O’Connor, Ecological Economist
Dr Shona Koren Paterson, Director of Global Lives Research Centre
Zahra Hdidou, Climate Policy Advisor
Professor Xinyan Wang, Centre of Advanced Powertrain and Fuels
Dr Princewill Ikpeka, Lecturer in Global Challenges
Andy Franzkowiak, Orleans House Gallery
And more than human collaborators:
Hydrogen Combustion, Brunel Testing Site
Birds, Little Britain Lake
Water bodies, across the UK
The video shows and improvised jam with Hydrogen where we enter flow-state. Visuals show hydrogen combusting tests in a diesel engine that respond to the sounds that I play. The footage was taken by engineers testing hydrogen at Brunel.
Each piece composed uses hydrogen combustion sounds collected from the testing lab to explore hydrogen as a collaborator with a voice, rather than a resource to exploit.
