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Wind Activates Pavilion's Permeable Grid for Layered Soundscapes
Designboom
January 19, 2026•3 days ago

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A pavilion in Italy's Marche region, Cappella del Suono, utilizes a permeable wooden grid designed to produce layered soundscapes. Wind passing through perforated wooden slats activates the structure, creating acoustic effects that vary with wind strength and direction. This installation, developed by Studio Carraldo, emphasizes a close relationship with its landscape and offers visitors a unique sensory experience.
Permeable Wooden Structure is Activated by Wind and Sound
Cappella del Suono is a small-scale architectural installation located in the grain fields of Italy’s Marche region. Positioned on a hillside, the pavilion is designed as a lightweight wooden structure that maintains a close relationship with its surrounding landscape. Developed by Studio Carraldo, the project was realized independently in the summer of 2025 after being selected as the winning entry of the Festival di Microarchitettura. The pavilion is also among the twelve nominated projects for the Klimahouse Wood Architecture Prize 2025.
The structure is composed of a regular grid of vertical wooden slats that define the spatial enclosure while remaining visually permeable. The slats are suspended at varying lengths, forming an irregular lower edge that softens the boundary between architecture and landscape. Perforations integrated at the ends of selected elements introduce an acoustic dimension, allowing the pavilion to respond to wind conditions. As air moves through the structure, the wooden components interact to produce layered sound effects, which vary in intensity depending on wind strength and direction. Under certain conditions, the sound recalls the distant bells of the nearby Convento di Monte Illuminato.
all images by Jonas Zauels
Studio Carraldo’s Pavilion is Defined by Light and Landscape
Light and shadow play a central role in shaping the spatial experience. The open arrangement of the slats allows sunlight to pass through the structure, creating changing patterns throughout the day and reinforcing the pavilion’s temporal and environmental responsiveness. Structurally, the installation rests on slender vertical supports anchored directly into the ground, minimizing impact on the site and reinforcing the project’s temporary character. Studio Carraldo’s material choices further support this approach. The use of untreated wood allows the structure to weather naturally and visually integrate with the surrounding grain fields. Rather than asserting itself as an object, the pavilion maintains a low visual profile and reads as an architectural extension of the landscape.
Cappella del Suono is conceived as a permeable architectural space, defined enough to establish a place while remaining open to environmental forces. A built-in bench extends from the interior toward the exterior, supporting different modes of occupation and allowing visitors to engage with the pavilion through rest, observation, and listening.
participation with a local piano maker from Lunano
when the wind is calm, the Cappella del Suono reads like a monolith
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