During 2025–26, Heikki Vastiala has been recording the structural vibrations and resonances of Uzbekistan’s Big Solar Furnace, a monumental Soviet-era solar thermal research facility located in the Tian Shan mountain range.
By capturing the vibrations of the skeleton-like steel pillars of the main parabolic concentrator, the mechanical movements of the heliostat drives, and the subtle resonances of smaller supporting structures, Vastiala approaches the facility as a resonant physical instrument. Through experimental recording methods, he explores the hidden sonic life of this megastructure and its relationship with the surrounding environment.
The collected recordings will also serve as source material for Vastiala’s future sound installations. Rather than presenting a definitive statement, the project remains an open inquiry into how art can listen to, interpret, and give voice to infrastructures shaped by science and technology.
This 15-minute presentation introduces the ongoing project, its recording methods, and the artistic and conceptual questions emerging from the work.
By capturing the vibrations of the skeleton-like steel pillars of the main parabolic concentrator, the mechanical movements of the heliostat drives, and the subtle resonances of smaller supporting structures, Vastiala approaches the facility as a vast physical instrument. Through these experimental recordings, grounded in the materiality and physical presence of the furnace, he explores the hidden sonic life of this megastructure and its relationship with the surrounding environment.