Sea Organ
Tourist attraction · Inland waters of Croatia ·
Architectural sound object creating music from sea waves
Architectural sound object creating music from sea waves
"Conceived by architect Nikola Bašić, this waterfront installation turns waves into music: large steps descend to the sea, beneath which 35 pipes channel air pushed by the swells, producing shifting tones that escape through holes beneath visitors’ feet." - Sarah Scaparone
"In the Croatian seaside town of Zadar, concealed beneath a set of large white steps leading into the water, is the Zadar Sea Organ. Similar to the Wave Organ in San Francisco, California, and the High Tide Organ in Blackpool, England, the instrument consists of a series of 35 tubes and a large resonating cavity, which is played by the wind and the sea. The organ’s music is eerily reminiscent of the melancholy sound of whale calls. The Sea Organ was designed by architect Nikola Bašić and completed in 2005. Just behind it is another art installation he created — the Sun Salutation — which has an ethereal pattern of glass panels that capture sunlight to power their own light show that is a tribute to the solar system." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
"With Sea Organ and Sun Salutation , architect Nikola Bašić has created two spectacles that harness the beauty of Zadar’s famous sunsets. Sea Organ is a musical instrument fashioned from pipes and holes drilled through stone stairs that descend to the water. A kind of music—whistling, percussion, hypnotic sighs—is released as the sea sloshes forward and pushes air through the pipes. To grab prime seats on the steps, get there a half hour before the sun drops. A stone’s throw away, Sun Salutation features a series of circles made from photovoltaic glass panels set into the pavement. The panels gather energy from the sun throughout the day, and come evening, lighting elements beneath the glass create a mesmerizing display that simulates the solar system. The solar energy collected by Sun Salutation also helps power the entire waterfront."
"I went to Zadar at sunset to listen to the Sea Organ, located on steps that descend into the sea; the organ consists of 35 tubes designed by architect Nikola Bašić and makes haunting, whale‑call‑like sounds as waves crash through it." - Matthew Kepnes
"The Sea Organ in Zadar delighted me — it’s an inventive set of steps descending into the sea that produces harmonious sounds as waves push air through the organ pipes." - Matthew Kepnes
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