The gentle rumbling of a doomed glacier

Icebergs are ancient ice formations shaped by time and the elements, and they make unique sounds. As water seeps into its cracks and crevasses, an iceberg resonates like an enormous pipe organ, its tones shifting and transforming as the ice melts. Inspired by these colossal natural musical instruments, the Iceberg installation consists of a series of illuminated metal arches that each make a particular sound. Arranged to form a tunnel, the arches beckon you to enter and listen to – and even play – the giant organ.

The sounds and light travel from one end of the musical corridor to the other. Iceberg’s sound and light ambiance, evoking the pure far north, transform in response to your presence. Human activity warms the gargantuan ice blocks – a palpable sign of climate change – and transforms their original form into a visual and auditory symphony. Give it a try!

Technical features

Technical description: Iceberg is a self-supporting work of art, requiring no anchoring to the ground, and is simply placed on the site. It leaves no marks or traces on the site when it leaves it. Concrete bases cast into an aluminum frame ensure the installation’s stability.

Composition: A series of 14 illuminated metal arches

Installation weight: 3,900 lbs (1,769 kg)

Footprint: 938 ft2 (88 m2)

Creators, light designers and producers

Félix Dagenais and Louis-Xavier Gagnon-Lebrun

Architectural design

APPAREIL architecture

Sound design

Jean-Sébastien Côté

Interactive module design

Philippe Jean

A co-production of

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership and ATOMIC3

Distribution

QDSinternational

Executive Production, Touring

Jack World

Testimonials

“The idea of the iceberg came to us quite spontaneously as a key element in bringing winter to the city center. Indeed, an imposing structure was needed to properly occupy the vast Place des Festivals.”

Félix Dagenais, Louis-Xavier Gagnon-Lebrun and Kim Pariseau From ATOMIC3 and Appareil Architecture
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Gallery

Iceberg de ATOMIC3 et APPAREIL Architecture, Ottawa, Canada, 2020 © Blair Gable, Courtesy of Sparks Street

Iceberg de ATOMIC3 et APPAREIL Architecture, Luminothérapie 13e édition, Montréal, Canada, 2022 © JALQ Photography

Iceberg de ATOMIC3 et APPAREIL Architecture, New York, USA, 2019 © Alexandre Ayer

Iceberg de ATOMIC3 et APPAREIL Architecture, Montréal, Canada, 2022 © Ulysse Lemerise, OSA Images

Iceberg de ATOMIC3 et APPAREIL Architecture, New York, USA, 2019 © Alexandre Ayer

Iceberg de ATOMIC3 et APPAREIL Architecture, New York, USA, 2019 © Alexandre Ayer

Iceberg de ATOMIC3 et APPAREIL Architecture, Montréal, Canada, 2017 © Martine Doyon

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