A project to transform a fragment of the freeway into a distinct public space by creating a media-saturated zone. This zone, established through the use of light and sound, would be created by means of a "device" that would allow for a unique and unexpected experience to occur in an otherwise absolutely ordinary space. While the visual components of the device would be predetermined, the audio environment would be interactive - it could be influenced by anyone driving through, speaking within, or otherwise occupying or engaging the space.

THE DEVICE - A REAL TIME MACHINE COMPOSED OF THESE ELEMENTS

1. THE SODIUM LIGHTS bathe the tunnels in a calming pool of light at the freeway entry and exit
2. THE SEARCHLIGHTS frame the freeway space with intense beams of very slowly moving white light visible from a great distance
3. THE SENSORS automatically collect statistical data from vehicular flow on the freeway, pedestrian traffic on overpasses, position of lights, and ambient sounds on site; the data is then transmitted to the processor
4. THE PROCESSOR a computer with a digital signal processor remaps the data and represents it as sound; the digital signal processing technique of convolution allows one sound source to be dynamically filtered and shaped through use of another sound source (e.g. sounds of passing cars could be articulated by words spoken on overpasses); the energy of traffic will also be used to control dynamic spatial localization between arrays of high-quality loudspeakers positioned on overpasses; statistical chances of numbers of people, speed of vehicles, etc - will automatically shape the sonic environment
5. THE ARRAY OF SPEAKERS positioned on overpasses to create sonic "places" in vacant segments of city grid
6. THE TRANSMITTER sends raw data from the sensors to the processor and transmits the processed sound to the freeway space where the wavelength would be identified by a sign

The democratic anonymity of American urban experience is transformed into a participatory spectacle for the Olympics. The everyday experience of the freeway and of the city grid fragments overlapping it becomes a sensation of speed, sound and light.

The searchlights form a virtual monumental space in varying configurations - warped, compressed, linear. They move at a very slow rate, in contrast to the rate of speed of the automobile, and therefore will be experienced differently each time one passes through the space. Sound processed from the sensors is transmitted by radio to the freeway space.

acoustic adviser Curtis Bahn

The ever-changing lights will project onto the humid atmosphere of Atlanta, which will make them visible from a great distance.