These are sweetnote dreamswings an innovation in play and sound. The 21 swings installation is located in Montreal’s Quartier des spectacles on the Promenade des Artistes. This is part of the city’s celebrated arts district where the Jazz Festival and Just for Laughs strut their stuff. Now strangers can make music together by leaning back and kicking for the sky.
Cooperation, the unbearable lightness of swinging and musical permutations scoring new compositions – it just doesn’t get any better. Artist-Designers Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat who created the installation with Luc-Alain Girardeau, professor of animal behaviour at the Université de Québec à Montréal (UQAM), are interviewed here.
Photo credit – Quartier des spectacles on flickr
I’m sure this trio’s work has inspired many a passerby since the exhibition opened toward the end of April. I’m kicking myself as we just missed it on our recent Montreal visit. Mark you calendars – the tuneful swinging comes to a standstill on May 23 at 11:00 p.m. – just under two weeks remaining at the time of writing. Take a moment and go swinging under the sun, the stars, the moon.
Beautiful concept. I hope 21 Balançoires will reappear from time to time to inject playfulness in the heart of the city. Thanks to my longtime friend Moussa for passing this on.
Montreal Gazette reporter, Jeff Heinrich wrote a good review that includes a nicely shot video – check the bottom lit swing seats.
Credits for 21 Balançoires here.
Follow the conversation on Twitter at #21B.
PlayGroundology 
Amazing. Thank you for finding and posting this!
LikeLike
Ben – always fun to write about creative ideas, designs and people. I hope you’ll be out there swinging up a storm until it’s a wrap for 21 Balançoires.
LikeLike
Pingback: musical swings — DeepFUN
Reblogged this on The Incredible Kaleidophone and commented:
Today’s post comes courtesy of PlayGroundology, and details an awesome sound-art installation here in Montreal. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend you check it out. Swings that play music? Awesome!
LikeLike
If only we could try it out. The installation was dismantled in the spring of 2011. Perhaps it’s been reinstalled but I haven’t heard. I missed it myself by just a couple of days. Looks like so much fun….
LikeLike
Damn, I should have read more closely, I totally thought they’d put it back up. 😦
LikeLike
The swings are still there! Tried them yesterday (so much awesome!). I think they’ll be around until the 21st.
LikeLike
That’s great. I’ll try and find out when the last day is and tweet the good news. If you have any photos, or video, you’d like to share give me a shout. Cheers, Alex
LikeLike
Pingback: Playground Music – Groovin’ to the Beat | PlayGroundology
Pingback: Source | Things You Didn't Know!
Pingback: 30 Kickass and Fascinating Facts About Canada-Part2 - KickassFacts.com
Quite a list. Happy to see Montreal’s musical swings were included. Let’s hope they’ll be back in 2014. Cheers, Alex
LikeLike
I would like to see musical swings in our elementary school. We live in town, the children’s school is a bit depressing. What is the sticker price to bring joy to these children?
LikeLike
Hi Pamela,
Sorry not to have been in touch sooner. Thanks for reading and commenting. I’m not sure what the sticker price would be for these swings. Let me know if you want to get in touch with the designers. You can write me at playgroundology at gmail dot com. Cheers
LikeLike
I would like to bring these swings to our community in Uptown Minneapolis, before i pitch the idea i would like to know how much it would cost. could you please send me some info or put me in contact with the fantastic people who created them. love love them!! Heather
LikeLike
Thanks Heather – I would have replied earlier but was out of the country on holidays. I’ll track down the contacts for you. I simply wrote about this installation. Thanks for reading and please pass on PlayGroundology to others you think mya enjoy it. Cheers, Alex
LikeLike
I know the swings come to a standstill because of all the festivals going on during the sumer in that area. However, does anyone know when the swings will be up again?
LikeLike
Looks like this year it went until June 1. May generally seems to be when they have got up and running the last 4 years. You can always check here – http://www.quartierdesspectacles.com/fr/blogue/564/le-km2-le-plus-anime-du-printemps-et-de-lete
LikeLike
Pingback: Not your average city bench: street furniture goes funky – The Urban Observer
Pingback: 12 Examples Of Urban Design Which Ought To Be In Every City
Pingback: 12 Examples Of Urban Design Which Ought To Be In Every City | Architecture & Interior Design
Pingback: Esempi di urban design che dovrebbero esserci in ogni città
Pingback: Desain Tata Kota yang Seharusnya Ada di Setiap Kota | Pranzery.com
Pingback: 12 Examples Of Urban Design Which Ought To Be In Every City | India news
Pingback: 12 exemplos de designer urbano que deveriam fazer parte de todas as cidades
Pingback: 12 thiết kế đô thị sáng tạo độc đáo trên thế giới - trithucvn.net
Pingback: 12 examples of urban design that ought to be in every city - LikeAble.co
Pingback: 12 Ideal Urban Design That Should be in Every City – Bright Leaks
Pingback: 12 Examples Of Urban Design Which Ought To Be In Every City | Believe it Or Not
Pingback: 12 Objetos de alto diseño que deberían estar en cada ciudad | Mancuer Online
Pingback: 12 thiết kế đô thị sáng tạo độc đáo trên thế giới - Vietnamnet
Pingback: 12 objetos de design que poderiam fazer parte de qualquer cidade do mundo
Pingback: The Unbearable Lightness of Swinging | PlayGroundology
Pingback: La Belle Ville: Montreal!