For World Sleep Day this Friday, the Vienna Tourist Board, together with creative agency Jung von Matt DONAU, have scientifically transformed the shimmering gold of Vienna’s most iconic landmarks into immersive sleep soundscapes.
A recent University of Pennsylvania study suggested popular “pink noise” found on many apps is actually detrimental for sleep, but Vienna’s newest playlist offers “gold noise” aimed at helping address sleep deprivation.
Vienna gold
The idea builds on the global boom in sleep and relaxation audio. But instead of relying on generic sound loops and potentially harmful “pink noise,” Vienna’s approach is precise and poetic.
Scientists from the TU Wien’s research group “Novel Electronic Materials and Concepts”, measured the reflective light frequencies of gold surfaces of four iconic Viennese landmarks using high-resolution spectrometry.
By translating the frequency of light reflected from these surfaces into audible sound waves, they sonified the gold for human ears.
The Vienna Gold Noise playlist is now available on Spotify.
It allows listeners to hear the “sounds” of golden edifices and works, including:
- Vienna State Opera
- Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss” (Belvedere Museum)
- The Imperial Crown (Imperial Treasury)
- Otto Wagner’s Church at Steinhof
Norbert Kettner, CEO of the Vienna Tourist Board, explained: “Rest has become a new luxury good. Especially when we travel, we seek experiences that enrich us, not exhaust us.”
“Vienna Gold Noise positions Vienna as a city of deceleration and cultural depth, meeting a global wellness trend with authenticity and innovation.”
“With Vienna Gold Noise, Vienna does not just invite travelers to see the city. It invites them to hear it — and fall asleep to its gold.”
Stefan Bauernberger, Creative Director at Jung von Matt DONAU, said: “By using Vienna’s golden treasures as instruments, we’re offering the world an unheard-of perspective that will potentially enrich people’s lives.”
“From a creative’s perspective, this is the work we live for.”