PSFK Talks to fabric’s Cameron Leslie

Sound:
Different buildings have different challenges for sound– the sheer height of our amphitheatre style space meant there was a horrendous 3-second delay compared to our sub-0.75 second position at fabric.  As such the whole ceiling is coated in this deep papier maché style material which was sprayed on to deaden the sound.  It’s incredible how little reverb there is now – a simple clap of the hands is just killed immediately, no echo whatsoever.

…In 1999 at fabric we introduced the BodySonic floor and while it’s still a fantastic element of the venue we know from experience and the development of technology that we could do something a little bit more advanced this time round; as such the BodyKinetic floor is the fruits of that research and development.

It’s a 110 m² bass driven floor with a killer kick.  The sprung wooden floor and substructure is totally isolated (ie its free floating over a 300 cm void) so the energy delivered from the bass ‘punch’ from the 80 piston transducers within the floor fires straight up through the body.  Coupled with the 5.1 surround sound you’ve got the complete sound experience, all around and inside you.

It’s certainly not about brute volume but controlled, ferocious power and a breadth of quality across the sound spectrum we hope will be unparalleled in a venue of this type anywhere in the World…I hope our reputation towards sound precedes us, so to this extent we’re not doing anything we haven’t done or wanted to do at fabric – it’s the same obsessive dedication to sound.

Lighting and Visuals:
What we are doing with matter that we haven’t done at fabric and where the genuine innovation lies is the lighting and visuals.  At fabric we’ve taken an approach on the lighting of relative sensory deprivation, minimal and stripped back.
At matter we want to equalise the focus on sound and light and the way it’s applied.  We’ve worked closely with the guys from Pixel Addicts to create an installation that’s intended to take the show beyond the stage or booth.

…Quite simply we will have the facility to project video content from 12 different sources simultaneously and undistorted across all surfaces within the venue via the process of Architectural Video Mapping, allowing us to completely engulf people in a 360° visual experience.   What we certainly don’t intend to do is overload people with a garish display of psychedelia.

Discuss the collaboration with Pentagram from the earliest conceptual stages.

Keith and I were both massive fans of William Russell so he was an obvious choice for our architectural shortlist.  We loved his approach to design and use of concrete, and it was our desire that the project that was be a temple of the stuff.  The tendering process was such a one sided affair that the decision was made for us.  We wanted to work with him/Pentagram and fortunately for us they wanted to work with us.
One of the attractions of Pentagram was the cross-disciplinary skill by which architect William Russell and fellow partner graphic designer Angus Hyland were able to take a holistic approach to both the interior and visual identity.
The name and visual identity of the venue compliment the stark brutalism of the interior architecture. The logo combines the matter signature with a flexible “frame” based around the harmonious proportions of the ‘golden section’.
Working with Pentagram has been a pleasure from beginning to end – they really have been an inspiration to me personally and we’ve built up a creative love affair that I hope will stretch on beyond this project.