Listening Desk

Interactive Sound Archive Sculpture

2023

Listening Desk is an interactive sound sculpture that invites people to explore and create soundscapes using sound archives. Inspired by historic listening devices and instruments, it reimagines the traditional archival reading desk as a place for listening as well as reading, highlighting the importance of exploring history through sound.

A parametric laser beam speaker projects sound directly towards the listener with minimal sound bleed, allowing the work to be installed in shared reading rooms without disturbing others. Unlike traditional listening stations, Listening Desk provides a personal listening experience without requiring headphones, rethinking how people can access sound archives in public spaces. An interactive soundscape sequencer embedded in the desktop enables visitors to remix recordings from the archive and discover sounds in a playful, hands-on way.

Many people are unaware that libraries and archives often hold sound collections as extensive as, or even larger than, their book collections. Listening Desk brings these collections into public view, encouraging people to discover, remix and engage with archived sounds through curiosity and play.
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a side profile of the horn bell that sits above a listener's head.
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a side profile of the desk with a small red-topped stool placed underneath the horn.
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a close up of the horn, showing the speaker attached underneath it.
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This image shows two young children playing with the desk. One is kneeling on the stool while the other is standing next to them. Both are wearing blue jeans and have light brown hair.
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a bird's-eye view of The Listening Desk from a higher floor at the British Library. A woman is sitting on the stool playing with the software on the touchscreen. She wears a white shirt and has a brown ponytail.
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a close-up of the tuning fork that the horn sits upon to hold it securely in place.
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a bird's-eye photograph of the desk taken from the floor above in the British Library.
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a close up of the top of the desk, showing the desk
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a close-up of the back of the desk, showing how the horn is clamped to the desk with an orange flange. There is some text underneath that says 'DO NOT TOUCH THE HORN'.
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This image shows the Listening Desk with a woman sat underneath, from a distance away. Members of the public walk by. The woman who wears a white shirt and has brown hair in a ponytail is looking at the screen.
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This image shows the side profile of the desk top, with a view of the credit which states:
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a close-up of a woman sitting at the desk. She is looking up at the horn. She wears a white shirt, glasses and has brown hair in a ponytail.

Where to Experience

Ten Listening Desks were created as part of the project.

Between 2023 and 2025, they were installed at:

· Archives+, Manchester Central Library
· Cumbria Archive Centre, Carlisle
· Discovery Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne
· Norfolk Record Office
· The British Library (outside the King's Library), London
· The National Library of Scotland, Kelvin Hall, Glasgow
· Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales
· The Wellbeing Collection, University of Sussex Library
· Ulster Transport Museum, Cultra, County Down
· University of Leicester, Sir Bob Burgess Building

Six Listening Desks have since been permanently acquired and remain on public display at:

· Archives+, Manchester Central Library
· The British Library (outside the King's Library), London
· The National Library of Scotland, Kelvin Hall, Glasgow
· Norfolk Record Office
· Ulster Transport Museum, Cultra, County Down
· University of Leicester, Sir Bob Burgess Building

The Team
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This photograph shows Listening Desk creator Emily Peasgood holding the entire horn section at Leicester University when she installed the Listening Desk there. The horn is so large that it is taller and wider than her, and she is standing in the centre of it. She is wearing a long black dress, pink trainers and has long blonde hair. She is smiling at the camera.

Emily Peasgood

Lead Artist, Creative Director, Sound Design and Project Lead | emilypeasgood.com
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a photograph of collaborator Ben Allen standing next to creator Emily Peasgood in a van. It is the day they left the wood workshop of East JR in London, with 10 desks loaded into a Luton van to travel up to Cow Sike Workshop to collect the metal elements from David Stupple. Ben Allen is wearing a green puffer coat, has gray hair and a beard and is smiling at the camera. Emily Peasgood is wearing a black jumper with gold sleeves, and has dark blonde hair and glasses on her head. She is smiling at the camera. Theresa Smith, installer, can be seen in the background, and there is a man in the background securing Listening Desk screens into the Luton van with a ratchet strap.

Studio Ben Allen

Collaborating Designer | studiobenallen.com
semplice-blocks-image

Happylander

Software | happylander.com
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a close up of metal fabricator David Stupple at his workshop in the Yorkshire Dales. He is sitting underneath the desk, placing a bolt into the wood. He is wearing a green boiler suit, has brown hair and a beard and is smiling.

David Stupple

Metalwork | @cowsikeworkshop
This the logo of EASTJR, the company who created the wooden elements of the Listening Desk.

EASTJR

Joinery Fabricator | eastjr.co.uk
Listening Desk by Emily Peasgood is a mid-century-inspired desk with a very large red metallic horn joined to it. It emerges out the back and round all the way over the desk, finishing above the listener's head. From the side, it looks like a huge base clef or ear. It looks like something from Dr Seuss. Sound can only be heard from under the horn. There is bespoke software on the screen that allows members of the public to listen to archival sound recordings and remix them. This is a photo of installer Theresa Smith at Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, installing a Listening Desk. She is kneeling on the floor, holding a socket wrench, attaching the tuning fork to the top of the inverted V that supports the Listening Desk horn. She is wearing denim dungarees, brown work boots, a white shirt and black glasses. She has white hair and looks both glamorous and serious.

Theresa Smith

Installer | mooch.co
FRENCH+TYE_Square

FRENCH+TYE

Photography
Materials
Powder-coated aluminium, oak, lino inlay. Interactive soundscape and oral history player created with Happylander, screen by AllSee Technologies, parametric speaker by Ultrasonic Audio Technology, hearing loop. 
Commission, Funding & Partners
Listening Desk was commissioned by The British Library for Unlocking Our Sound Heritage, in partnership with Archives+, Manchester; Bristol Culture; Cumbria Archives, The Keep, Brighton; London Metropolitan Archives; National Library of Scotland; The National Library of Wales; National Museums Northern Ireland ; Norfolk Records Office; Tyne & Wear Archives & Museum; and University of Leicester.
 
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Haydock Library
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Threaded Shelter

Selected Works
Listening DeskInteractive Sound Archive Sculpture
Threaded ShelterInteractive Sound Installation
This Is EnglandInclusive Community Flag
Haydock LibraryInclusive Library Transformation

Contact Us

Emily Peasgood Studio
St Lawrence Industrial Estate
Ramsgate, Kent CT11
Email: emily@emilypeasgood.com
Instagram: @emilypeasgoodstudio 

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