Unfamiliar Walks

Unfamiliar Walks emerged from Healing Soundscapes, collaborative research investigating how generative sonic environments influence patient well-being in hospital settings. Bringing together HfMT Hamburg, Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf (UKE), and Medical School Hamburg, the project explores intersection of music therapy, multimedia composition, and clinical healthcare.

Installed permanently in UKE Hamburg's waiting and emergency rooms beginning September 2018, the system functions as autonomous sonic presence designed to mitigate stress in environments characterized by anxiety, uncertainty, and sensory overload. Each piece exists as collection of presets embedding pseudo-random processes—subtle variations ensure repeated exposure never produces identical experiences. Patients interact via simple touchscreen allowing navigation between pieces, presets, composers, or five minutes of silence. This agency proves crucial: ability to influence sonic environment provides psychological benefit independent of music's specific qualities.