Ocean listening
Put your ear to the ground! You'll be amazed by the diversity of underwater sounds.
"Ocean listening", the new immersive space of the City of the Sea From Cherbourg, dedicated to the adventure of Man and the Sea and the emotions of the deep, it plunges us into the soundscape of the oceans.
Following the success of the "The Sea at the heart, the site entrusted us with the creation of all the sets and signage for the submarine area, at the heart of the permanent exhibition.
The underwater trail at La Cité de la Mer
Spread over 411 m2, the majority of the underwater centre dates back to 2022. In order to renew its offer as soon as it reopens to the public at the end of March 2024, this fun science park has come up with a new project aimed at families, based on a cross-disciplinary theme: the sounds under the sea.
Following a call for tenders, we won the contract to completely overhaul this unique exhibition, the fruit of partnerships with the French Navy, the Direction Générale de l'Armement, the Centre d'Interprétation et de Reconnaissance Acoustique, Naval Group and AGASM Section Ondine (an association of submariners from Cherbourg). The exhibition was curated and managed by teams from La Cité de la Mer. The artistic direction and scenography of the exhibition were entrusted to Mélinée Faubert and the graphics were produced by the agency MaxiSouk.
Expectations
Ocean listening offers a host of sensory and playful ways of hearing the underwater sound environment. The tour is built around 5 themed areas:
1 - Silence in the board
At the heart of this area, reminiscent of a submarine's hull, you will discover the essential concepts for understanding the underwater world: Archimedes' principle, a submarine's trim, acoustic stealth… To immerse visitors in this fascinating universe, we have created arches of backlit diffused PET, and explanation panels made of Dibond.
2 - The Bidous Club
A manipulative space for the little ones, immersing them in the graphic world of a submarine, thanks to the decorations we've printed on wallpaper. Do you know who the bidou is on board a submarine? It's the youngest member of the crew!
3 - Listening to the Ocean
Lend an ear! Installed in the sound niches of this underwater listening station, you'll be surprised by the diversity of underwater sounds through amazing sound quizzes... Little ones might even hear animals that sound like musicians!
4 - In the secret of the golden ears
Sit down in front of your workstation, like a real underwater acoustician. We've made the screens on adhesive tape printed in our workshop. You'll be able to test your hearing, as if you were sitting in a submarine's Navigation Command Post!
5 - The PCNO
A new simulator lets you take control of the cockpit to carry out a stealth mission aboard the Furtif, a nuclear submarine, which left from the Cherbourg base.
To guide visitors along the route, we created the signage using cut vinyl lettering. To give the titles more depth, we covered the lettering with a layer of PVC.