Immersive Open Studio

Shared Space, Shared Sound

Sunshiyu Wang*, Changda Ma*, Canting Zhu*, Gibran Mobarak* and Henrik von Coler*

Interactive audiovisual installation in a spatial-audio venue

About the studio

Immersive Open Studio is a course-based artistic concept that turns spatial-audio infrastructure into a shared public platform for interactive audiovisual work. Realized at The Underground Atlanta in fall 2025, the studio brought a 32-channel system out of the university and into an accessible cultural venue.

The same sound and projection system supported different artworks, rehearsals, and public showcases. We documented the studio's development and the experience of presenting it to visitors in a paper presented at NIME 2026.

Five student groups

Five student groups developed Immerge, Since Everyone’s a DJ, Audenie, MACHINA, and Data Mirror: Fragmented Projections of Oneself, presenting the works through weekly public showcases. Each group used the same spatial-audio and projection infrastructure while pursuing a distinct artistic direction.

Sharing the infrastructure let each group spend more time developing its interaction and composition rather than rebuilding the technical setup.

Since Everyone’s a DJ

Since Everyone’s a DJ served as the paper’s detailed case study. Four Intel RealSense cameras and MediaPipe hand tracking let multiple visitors control Bass, Chords, Lead, and Drums through simple finger-count gestures.

Continuous movement shaped the performance after a layer was selected: horizontal hand position controlled spatial azimuth, vertical movement adjusted musical effects, and distance from the camera controlled volume. Ableton Live, Max/MSP, Reaper, Jitter, OSC, and Ambisonic decoding connected the sensing, sound, spatialization, and visual systems.

What we observed

Audience observations and voluntary feedback suggested that the long room, surrounding loudspeaker array, and movement-linked feedback encouraged exploration and a strong sense of immersion. Visitors often learned by watching others, imitating gestures, and then experimenting independently.

This was informal feedback, not a formal user study. It helped us identify where visitors needed clearer instructions and visual cues, more distinguishable sound mappings, and smoother tracking between overlapping camera regions.

SPATIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Installation layouts

A flood forced the installation to move after three public performances. The comparison shows how the same core equipment was safely reconfigured for a new architectural setting.

Technical diagram of the original tunnel spatial-audio and projection layout

Setup I · 14 × 28 × 8 ft · 270° projection

Tunnel Dimension

The original MARTA tunnel used a three-layer loudspeaker array supported by six truss stands, with three projectors covering the canvas-lined sides of the room.

2 upper + 10 middle KH120
5 QSC K10.2 + 2 Alto subwoofers
3 projectors

Technical diagram of the adapted spatial-audio and projection layout after relocation

Setup II · Two-layer array · Parallel projection

Adapted Layout

After flooding, the system was rebuilt in a safer second-floor room. A lower ceiling, glass-block walls, and limited projection surfaces required a more compact two-layer configuration.

10 upper KH120
2 QSC K10.2 + 2 Alto subwoofers
2 parallel projectors

DOCUMENTATION

Process & Place

Immersive Open Studio · project film

The tunnel-like venue before the performance — Tunnel dimension · venue setup

Participant interacting with the installation — Gesture-based audiovisual interaction

Projected visuals inside the installation — Performance setup and projection

NEXT PROJECT

SynOrbit↗