Core77

The dish before satellites

By Rain Noe - January 2, 2008

in Object Culture

Here's one that ought to have archaeologists scratching their heads in the future: huge parabolic surfaces rendered in concrete, dotting the English coast, dating back to 1915.

What are they? "Sound mirrors." In an era before radar, these enormous structures were clever ways to trap soundwaves and hear incoming enemy airplanes before you could see them, and since the craft in question were slow-flying bi-planes, there was still time to do something about it.

British adoption of radar technology in the '30s killed construction of future sound mirrors, but the extant structures were probably too big and troublesome to demolish. For more photos and different types, click here.

via deputy dog

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Siddhartha Joshi

13 years ago

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Wow...these are really cool! I wish there was more information here on these...
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Pawel

16 years ago

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I might be wrong, but as far I remember, Blank & Jones has recorded a videoclip there for their album called "Monument" :]
At least those concrete monuments reminds me of that.
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Troika

16 years ago

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Love them.

Check these sound mirror sculptures. They were inspired by a visit in dungeness.

It works amazingly well.

http://www.troika.uk.com/wattyler.htm
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