SoundMat (3) Exterior Design
This chapter covers SoundMat’s exterior design. Two constraints matter upfront: structure—electronics must fit inside, so sci-fi fantasy shapes are out; design must be buildable—and prototype reality—lab hand-build, limited time; nothing too wild or complex.
What follows is ideal design within what we can actually make—appearance first, pushing complexity where we can, then trimming during engineering.
The previous chapter ended with: it’s there, and that alone is aesthetic. SoundMat must read as art object—aligned with the first two user scenarios: restraint, nature, refinement.
Overall form
SoundMat is a pressure mat; the cavity below holds boards and electronics. The enclosure is essentially a round box. Aesthetically, an inverted truncated cone—wider on top, narrower below—works best: it sits on a smaller round table, table hidden, suggesting float.
Ideal diameter: 60–100 cm; height ~15 cm given structural limits.
Surface material
This is what makes it installation art rather than “weird circuit board.” The surface must conduct pressure. Two candidates: translucent silicone mat, or pile/fabric.
For the ideal product: pile fabric, light color (e.g. beige)—inviting, warm, refined.
Sides dark; ideal sides have uneven, plaster-like texture.
Surface visual guides
Polar guides—concentric rings and radials matching sensing layout—printed on the surface.
LED ring at the perimeter for musical progress.
Objects to place
River pebbles are ideal—natural weight and size variation, pleasant hand-feel, match upscale contexts. (And free—you can collect them.)
The earliest idea allowed anything—cups, etc. That works, but for long-term installation aesthetics, pebbles look far better.
Color and character
Restrained, natural, refined. Light top (off-white or light gray) pile; quiet invitation to touch; guide lines slightly darker, subtle; dark sides (wood tone, charcoal, black)—light-on-dark makes the top “float,” focus on the playing surface. Reads as furniture or art, not consumer electronics.
(by Claude)
A round truncated-cone installation in a dim hotel lobby. Top ~1 m diameter, base ~70 cm, total height ~20 cm, shallow inverted cone. Supported by a smaller dark round table, hidden beneath the cone.
Top split in two zones. Center: large area of light beige felt, soft and warm like high-grade wool felt; polar guides—radials and concentric rings—slightly darker gray-brown, subtle. Five or six natural pebbles, varied size and tone, casually placed, ~3–5 cm. Outer ~5 cm ring: frosted translucent material; warm glow from below, full luminous halo, candle-like, not harsh.
Cone sides charcoal gray, handmade uneven texture like pottery or rough plaster, matte, tactile. Light top / dark sides for float.
Quiet, restrained—Nordic minimal meets wabi-sabi. Warm soft ambient light; lobby wood and low furniture in background. ~30° oblique overhead product shot: felt texture, pebbles, halo, side texture. Shallow DOF, clean frame, no text.(AI image prompt, by Claude Opus 4.6)
Render without lighting, by Gemini
Render with lighting, by Gemini
(ChatGPT revision)
(Written April 12, 2026, early morning; revised April 16, 2026)