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Now you can listen to Estonia’s forest through giant megaphones

In the heart of the Estonian forest, Mother Nature is given a louder voice.

Nature dwellers can now hear the ambient sounds of the forest more clearly, stemming from giant megaphones. These art installations have been planted in Estonia's forest to amplify the voice of Mother Nature, thanks to a group of architecture students from the Estonian Academy of Art.

The three megaphones are beautifully made of finished timber and are rooted on the forest floor, each pointing in a different direction. Curiously, they don't look out of place nestled amongst the trees, but are a thought-provoking reminder of why we should take time to enjoy the unspoiled wilderness.

The megaphones are also large enough to act as makeshift shelters for off-the-beaten-track explorers perhaps in need of rest, considering that they're placed, mysteriously, the furthest a person can go from the capital of Estonia – as directed by Hannes Praks, the project leader who spoke to the Huffington Post. Bearing in mind that forest covers 50% of Estonia, stumbling across these wooden structures may rely more on your ears rather than your eyes.

The students branched out with acoustic engineering experts to find the most effective position and shape to not only achieve the maximum sound amplification, but also to find where it would give visitors the most Zen experience.

“The project is very contextual and planned specifically for the Estonian rainforest. It might sound a bit esoteric, but it seems to me that, yes, we did spend time on acoustics and sound movement engineering, but not so much to affect the parameters of the object, but rather to open up the soul of the user.”
- - Hans Praks explained to the Huffington Post

So next time you visit Estonia, stand in the centre of these three wooden horns and listen to the forest – maybe it will teach you a thing or two!

All photos provided by Tõnu Tunnel

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Anthea Batsakis Guest Writer, Former Social Media Intern Suggest an article Send us an email

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