From boundaries to bindings. Reframing sound-driven design in narrative exhibitions

Digital technologies and human-centred design approaches have transformed the cultural heritage sector, shifting the focus towards the visitor experience and advocating for collaboration between designers and non-designers. This article draws on design research and museography to discuss the role of sound in the digital cultural heritage, focusing on sound-driven exhibition design practices. The ephemeral nature of sonic experiences challenges the concept of “boundary objects”, reframing them from blueprint-like physical or abstract schemes into an Ingoldian concept of “bindings", promoting mutual understanding and collaboration across different communities. We focus here on two narrative exhibitions we were directly involved in: a participatory project based on sounds and oral stories from a local community, and a collaborative sound-driven project on musical automata involving multidisciplinary teams of professionals. The findings suggest a shift in exhibition design towards a broader understanding of sounds as “bindings”.