The Sound of Falling Rain
One of the strongest sensory experiences with nature is an encounter with rain. How can one express such a complex experience through art? One might intuitively draw from visual representations of rain. I utilize a different sensory channel, expressing the experience through sound. The sound of rain is so natural and familiar, you can recognize it without seeing it. The patter of rain on a roof, ground, or even an unknown surface can be immediately recognized.

The Sound of Falling Rain Series installation features an umbrella-liked device with a sound-producing mechanism. When the device is moved up and down, the plastic particles fall and knock the internal structure to mimic the different sounds of rain. The tactile feedback from the beads falling emphasizes the impression of rainfall.

Between Light and Cloud
Immediately following a rainstorm, rays of light shimmer through the sky. How can one recreate such a visually intricate scene?A lighting arrangement captures puffs of fog as the roll through pillars of light. The scented fog evokes the feeling of being emerged in a forest.

Scene moments of light
The sky is easily taken for granted. Humanity has been looking to the sky since the dawn of our existence. Go outside to gaze, even for a moment, and you can very quickly be overcome by its beauty. If you take time to study the sky, you will see it is constantly changing: clouds continuously roll and colors advance in full spectrum.

A folding screen can be manipulated by the audience to change the color gradation and scale and positions relative to the time of day. Humanity has an emotional connection with time and atmospheric conditions which can be felt as the screen seemingly shifts through time.

Scenery under your feet
Anyone who has been hiking or camping knows how quickly you find yourself immersed in the fresh breath of a forest. The cool temperature and the sound of walking across a carpet of leaves make a strong connection with nature. How does the forest’s unique environment translate to an indoor space?

By researching various foliage, paper designs are tailored to match the appearance of fallen leaves. The audience is encouraged to handle the leaves, simulating the sound of the forest, bringing the experience indoors through hearing and touch.

I recreate sensory installations from my personal life experiences using various materials, color, and other elements like lighting, fog, Waterproof paper, Rainstick. Four installations simulate nature scenes through visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory senses. And through the installations, people can experience the memories and feelings that I want to convey.

I perceptions are realized through interactivity and a play on the senses such as sight, hearing, touch, smell. Whether indoor, outdoor, urban, or natural environment: as long as you are willing to open your senses you can discover inspiration and design direction.

Experiences, feelings, and memories in life are some of the densest nutrients to develop creative concepts. This is what makes good design or art resonate with an audience. It is not easy to transform the experience of life into the design. As an industrial designer, your concept will morph over time. From idea to production, multiple R&D phases, and many practical limitations such as manufacturing restrictions or market demands, add up to potentially diluting the original design’s origin. To fully understand these concepts, you must understand their roots in genuine life experiences.

Deeply appreciate your life, amplify your susceptibility, and try to using design to convey your sensory experience and memory

Liu Ta-Chung

Ta Chung Liu is a Taiwanese designer, born in Taipei in 1990. After graduating from National Chiao Tung University in 2018 Industrial design Master program, he works as a diversified designer in Taiwan.

His design approach specializes in materials driven, process led, industrial design and exhibition Design and also interactive Installation Art.

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