instant city, ein elektronischer musik bau spiel automat is a music-building game-table. One or more players at a table can create architecture using semi-transparent building blocks and in the process make different modular compositions audible. Every performance is unique because the sequence, timing and combination possibilities are completely in the hands of the players! For each game one composition is chosen.

A spotlight hangs over the table and under the glass plate game board there is a field of light sensors. Each semi-transparent building block that is brought into position anywhere on the table establishes a filter dimming down the intensity of the downward-flashing spotlight. The resulting variations – a kind of grayscale continuum – can be registered by the sensor field under the glass plate. Each of these grayscale values corresponds to a particular parameter of the selected instant city composition. Exactly what is heard, however, depends upon where the building blocks are placed, how high they are, how many are on the table, and the sequence in which they are used.

To date, eight different musicians have each produced special compositions which serve as the basic music building kits of instant city.

In order to give players a wide choice of compositions, we asked musicians working with very different kinds of music to create the first "music building kits". These "building kits" were created with a special sound and detection program that was especially developed to meet the requirements of instant city. In the modular creation of the software, the aim was to achieve a large range of tonal flexibility. The repertoire and compositions can and will be continually renewed / replenished, i.e. it is possible for any interested musician to create a "music building kit" for instant city.

For us the challenge of this interactive installation lies in enticing the audience into action, not only in front of the monitor or with a keyboard, but also in relation to physically real, sensually graspable objects. This action, on the other hand, should influence the atmosphere of the total space, luring other people to play and listen …

instant city is an interactive installation, modular music-sequencer, composition software, playing console, and game, which can be played by one or more players simultaneously.
In the summer of 2001 the concept idea was awarded the “Freie Kunstprojekte” [Open Art Projects] in the annual competition of the Basel Kunstkredits. In the following one-and-a-half years instant city could be developed and realized. On January 17, 2003, Basel Museum Night, instant city was presented for the first time in the new media gallery plug-in and exhibited there until January 25.

Sponsored by:
Kunstkredit Basel-Stadt
GGG, Gesellschaft für das Gute und Gemeinnützige
Fond Werkraum Warteck pp
Futurum Stiftung
Jubiläumsstiftung der Zürich Versicherungs-Gruppe
Alfred Richterich Stiftung
Demenga Glas AG