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Musical swingset in Downtown Detroit

Posted at 12:57 PM, Apr 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-06 13:08:01-04

A giant swing set will soon be making beautiful music in Downtown Detroit. The musical swings will be operating in Cadillac Square from Thursday April 7th through May 8th. Play the video clip to see Nima Shaffe's interview on 7 Action News at Noon.

The project is an interactive public swing site called: Swings: An Exercise in Musical Cooperation." It's located at Cadillac Square in Downtown Detroit, and it consists of 10 musical swings, which are making stops in three cities this year.

The musical swings were created by internationally renowned design studio Daily tous les jour, based in Montreal. They are meant to show people that they can work better while cooperating with others..

When each swing is in motion, it. plays notes of a guitar, piano, vibraphone or harp.  Designers say when the swings are used in harmony, they compose a synchronized musical piece in which certain melodies emerge through cooperation.

"The Swings offer the reality of collaboration as the exhibit exemplifies how each of our individual parts collectively create magic and cooperation,” said Robert Gregory, president of Detroit 300 Conservancy, in a press release. “This is evident in the way the public, private and philanthropic community has come together to bring the installation to life and also how the public has embraced it making musical symphony among strangers.”

The interactive installation of 10 swings will tour three locations in the US this summer.  They will be available for use at Campus Martius Park/Cadillac Square thanks to the Detroit 300 Conservancy in partnership with Quicken Loans.

The installation is also made possible by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

“Admission is free, and the Swings will be open to the public daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. through May 8th.