Over 100 Genelec loudspeakers have combined with video technology to guide visitors through interactive journey at the Zukan Museum Ginza in Tokyo.
Described as an ‘experience-based facility’ that fuses the digital and the real, Zukan Museum offers an immersive and interactive journey to discover the natural world beyond time and space. Over 100 Genelec loudspeakers combined with video technology help drive the experience where natural environments of forests and water are seamlessly connected for a magical journey through the world of living things.
"The museum faithfully recreates the ecosystem of the natural world, with different creatures appearing in each area, such as the forest, savanna, underwater, etc., where the act of observing and recording the creatures is interactive. For example, if you get too close to a creature, it will be startled and run away," explains Jun Fujiwara of invisi, who handled the sound production and UX design.
A total of 150 channels of sound create different worlds in each of the multiple areas within the museum. There is no physical separation between areas, so it was particularly important to ensure that transitions from one area to another are smooth and coherent.
At the Zukan Museum, 85 compact 8010 active studio loudspeakers, 23 of the slightly larger 8020 models, and seven 7360 subwoofers were installed throughout the space. The 8010 is used widely throughout the museum due to its combination of exceptional performance and small footprint, while the 8020 is used specifically for reproducing creature sounds – which require more low-end. In addition, Genelec’s huge range of accessories proved suitable for the project, with the 8000-420 short wall mount and 8000-416 truss mount both employed to achieve flexible installation tailored to the space.