HARP (also known as Harmony and Acoustic Research Project) is a public seating area that also serves as a communal musical instrument. Designed specifically for urban parks, Dan LaBarca and Jeff Watson created HARP with four different parts, each of which have their own specific instrument and sound.
The separate quadrants are sectioned off into electric organs, pianos, steel drums, and chimes. HARP is also suitable for all different types of weather and has a decibel restriction to ensure that only those in the park can hear the music.
Melodic Public Seating
HARP is a Harmonious Communal Musical Instrument
Trend Themes
1. Communal Instruments - Opportunity to develop more public seating areas that double as communal musical instruments.
2. Urban Park Design - Opportunity to design urban parks that incorporate interactive and unique elements, such as HARP, to promote community engagement and creativity.
3. Weatherproof Instruments - Opportunity to develop more weatherproof instruments that encourage outdoor musical experiences and can withstand different types of weather conditions.
Industry Implications
1. Public Furniture and Design - Companies can explore creating public furniture and design that incorporate interactive and musical components to enhance public spaces and promote community engagement.
2. Music Technology - Opportunity to innovate and develop new technologies and products that enable people to interact with music in a more communal and/or outdoor setting.
3. Outdoor Recreation - Companies can explore creating outdoor recreation products or services that encourage public engagement and community building, such as outdoor musical instruments or interactive art installations.