HSBC Living River

An interactive sound installation at Gatwick Airport that was commissioned to mark ten years of the HSBC Water Programme. The 1km experience was created using live recordings from across the 6,300km-long Yangtze River – one of five rivers in HSBC’s programme - celebrating the rich diversity of this vital waterway.

The soundscape featured more than 100 hours of material, sourced directly from 35 locations, in order to capture sounds from each stage of the river, from migratory birds and frogs, to the sound of the weather or clatter of local fishing boats on the river. As you walked along the Skybridge, you walked along the full length of river - travelling from the First Bend of the Yangtze to the mouth in Shanghai. The sounds also reacted to the time of the day, the weather on the Yangtze, and even the movements of the travellers. The project took around 14 months to create, from initial conception to the point of going live, with 160 speakers and 80 channels of sound used in its creation.

Accompanying the sound installation was a photography exhibition featuring images from the recording sites, bringing the experience to life visually across the entire 1km length. A highly complex project, working air-side for a prolonged duration.

The installation won 23 international awards and commendations including a Yellow Pencil for Brand Experience & Environments at the D&AD Awards and the Grand Prix at the EVCOM Live Awards.