Kurrholmen – U-Turn Round 2011

After being greatly impressed with one of blackbox-av’s U-Turn Round demo units, Lexter, a Swedish dealership, were eager to work with us on a project for the Swedish National Property Board.

This project saw the creation and supply of three U-Turn Rounds which were installed inside the Kurrholmen fortress tower, Sweden and on the island it is found on as part of the FIRE ecological sound design scheme. Kurrholmen is a type of fortified tower built in Sweden from the Middle Ages, though by the time the tower was completed in the 1860s, it was already obsolete as the masonry was not able to stand up against more modern artillery. Kurrholmen is one of the last two remaining examples of the older fortification techniques used in Sweden, the other being the tower of Goodnight.

The U-Turn Rounds were perfect for this project as they embody the ideals of ecological sound design. As the units are powered by a hand operated dynamo, they are completely independent of batteries, which need to be replaced or recharged, or mains power supply which would require the fitting of cables and possible, undesirable alterations to the site. The U-Turn Rounds are used as part of the guided tours of the island and tower as well as to inform general visitors to the island.