RESONANCE
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A Journey Through Embodied Sound
PARTNER:
University of Westminster
SOUND
COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE
CHALLENGE
Co-design a day-long experiential event exploring how vibrational sound affects the body, mind and connection between people.
We were invited to collaborate with Westminster University and Deaf Rave to develop an inclusive, multisensory event that rethinks how we experience sound. Centring the Deaf community's deep knowledge of vibroacoustic perception, the challenge was to build a program that was both scientifically grounded and culturally expansive, demonstrating that sound can be felt, not just heard.
CREATIVE CONCEPT
From hearing to feeling: a multisensory experience of sound
Resonance explored how sound can be experienced through the whole body, shifting focus from auditory perception to embodied sensation. The concept invited a reimagining of how we connect through rhythm, vibration and collective experience. Grounded in both science and culture, the event used sound as a tool for inclusion, expression and collective emotional experience.
EXECUTION
A day-long public programme blending participation, discussion and live research
Hosted at Westminster University, the event featured participatory workshops, a panel discussion, and an evening club night curated by Deaf Rave. Custom visuals created by Westminster students translated sonic vibrations into a multisensory experience. Alongside the creative programme, Kinda Studios ran a live research study with results proving the experience helped the majority of audiences feel sound as a tangible quality in their bodies, with an average rating of 4 out of 5 (80%).
The programme, co-created alongside Westminster students included a therapeutic sound bath with Rahel (Sound Heal Grow), NYX Choir’s vocal embodied workshops, a drumming circle with Jez Smith and a Deaf Rave DJ session with Woojer vibroacoustic vests, and culminated in a club night by Deaf Rave with custom visuals created by Westminster students to map sonic properties in real time.
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Built for students and the wider public, the event combined creative programming with research, education and inclusive design. A live panel brought together voices from the Deaf community, neuroscience, and the arts to explore new ways of understanding embodied experience.
Kinda ran a live research study during Resonance to capture data on connection and embodiment. Findings showed that inclusive and accessible event design can significantly enhance people’s sense of belonging and connection to others. When asked where they physically felt the sensations of sound, participants most commonly reported their heart or chest (63.9%), whole body (52.8%), and head (41.7%), followed by the stomach (36.1%), hands (36.1%), and arms (25%). This demonstrates that sound is not only heard but also felt through the body. Those who wore haptic vests that vibrated in sync with the music reported higher emotional engagement—particularly increased feelings of awe, wonder, and joy—compared to those who did not.
“I felt like I was being absorbed into sound and like my body was floating."
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"The people present were the energy of the night."