Biltmore Luminere (2026-2027)
Immersive Experience. Asheville North Carolina
Music Supervision, Composition, and Sound Design
Biltmore Luminère was a project designed by Klip for the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. The audio component was conceived not simply as a soundtrack enhanced by sound design, but as the primary emotional driver of the garden experience. Connecting the sonic landscape to the history of the house and the Vanderbilt family was central to both the client's objectives and the creative process. The result was a multi-layered sonic world that communicated the site's stories through a constellation of approaches. The symphonic framework for the score was unfolded over the as-built landscape architecture and focused on the special zones chosen by Klip’s creative director Ricardo Rivera. The pieces evolved over time- following a symphonic logic- taking the visitor from a historic representational perspective at the House and slowly transformed to an abstract, ambient, presentational experience at the Conservatory. Each piece becoming more ‘dreamlike’ than the previous.
As the Biltmore House was the vehicle for the story- an architectural methodology was developed to sonify the façade of the house. Rooflines, stringcourses, and fenestration informed the structure of the main theme, translating architectural forms into musical dynamics and harmonic movement. Musical phrases derived from the staffs carved around the cherub reliefs flanking the first-floor windows were incorporated as subtle motifs throughout the garden installations. These embedded musical "easter eggs" emerged and receded across the experience, with their voicings evolving from one location to the next.
On-site recording sessions captured the natural acoustics of the estate to add a distinctive layer of authenticity. Asheville native Mary Lattimore, her mother, and vocalist Julianna Barwick were among the featured performers. The estate's emptied swimming pool was selected for its long reverberation times, while the Oak Room provided a warm and intimate acoustic environment. These recordings as and impulse responses became an integral part of the garden experience audio.
A complimentary cultural approach added further dimension. Site historian Lauren Henry provided access to George Vanderbilt's personal music library, from which a curated selection of works was chosen. Original arrangements were created for the installation, helping to align Klip's artistic vision with the client's desire to reflect the estate's cultural heritage.
Live performance was essential to achieving the level of craft and authenticity the project demanded. Original compositions, along with a new arrangements of classics such as Erik Satie's Gymnopédie No. 3, were performed by a select group of musicians, the Asheville Symphony Orchestra and the Budapest Film Orchestra and Choir.
The final result was a richly layered soundtrack that unified Klip's lighting interventions, the architecture, history, and landscape of the estate, inviting visitors to experience a familiar place through an entirely new lens.
Special Thanks to: Julian Dreyer, Julianna Barwick, Mary Lattimore, Adam Johnson, and Kian Moghaddamzadeh
Exhibition photos by Kevin Ritchie/Master-of-Sum
