Resonant Materials – From Unfold, Milan Design Week to Detroit Month of Design In collaboration with Third Man Records

Resonant Materials – From Unfold, Milan Design Week to Detroit Month of Design In collaboration with Third Man Records

The Resonant Materials Project is a cross-disciplinary student exhibition exploring the transformative power of sound-focused materiality in urban environments. Developed collaboratively by Interior Design and Color & Materials Design students, the project reimagines how auditory experiences can foster healing, inclusivity, and community empowerment.

Guided by the philosophy of Design with Agency, each student team created a small-scale urban installation aimed at reshaping the soundscapes of shared public spaces—such as parks, courtyards, and transit hubs—within the city of Detroit. These interactive prototypes harness the principles of sound absorption, reflection, and diffusion, transforming ambient noise into tools for well-being.

Through resonant materials and color-driven acoustics, the installations address the concept of auditory entanglement and reclaim disruptive urban noise as an opportunity for sensory and spatial healing. By inviting public interaction and focusing on…