Salvaged Car Seats and 140 Cassettes Transform Berlin’s KaDeWe into a Nostalgic Sonic Escape

An Ode to Analogue: Crafting Soundscapes in Berlin’s Iconic Store

In an era dominated by digital streaming, Yont Studio defies trends with a unique installation inside Berlin‘s KaDeWe. Using salvaged car seats and over 140 cassette tapes, they create an immersive analogue sound experience. Located on the renovated second floor of this century-old department store, this installation is a result of Yont Studio’s collaboration with Telekom Electronic Beats and local fashion brand Namilia.

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Inspired by Iggy Pop’s 1977 song “The Passenger,” recorded with David Bowie in West Berlin, the installation aims to capture the evocative feeling of watching the world pass by through a car window. Yont Studio crafted a circle of second-hand black leather car seats, inviting shoppers to pause, don headphones, and lose themselves in a collection of rare and second-hand cassettes.

“It’s all about nostalgia and the tactile memory of childhood road trips,” expresses Coşan Karadeniz, co-founder of Yont Studio with Serdar Ayvaz. He highlights the contrast to the fast-paced digital world, emphasizing the installation’s intentional slowness and tactility.

Design Meets Salvaged Car Seats: Namilia’s Playful Edge

The installation also marks the debut of a collaborative fashion line from Namilia, Royal College of Art alumni Nan Li and Emilia Pfohl’s label, in partnership with Telekom Electronic Beats and indie rock band Wet Leg. Bright-pink foam wedges with metal shelving and clothes rails showcase the hold the cassette players and tapes.

Ayvaz described the process of distressing the foam—hurling stones and using flamethrowers—as intuitive and manual, evoking Berlin’s brutalist architecture with playful touches like glossy pink paint and irreverent clothes hooks.

“Namilia’s bold, unapologetic fashion was a major influence,” Ayvaz says, noting how it contrasts with KaDeWe’s rich historical presence. “Bringing this youthful, provocative energy to such a storied location feels like a breath of fresh air,” he adds.

Beyond Spotify: Unearthing Hidden Sound Treasures

The cassette library offers more than just Berlin’s techno beats, featuring sets from legendary DJs like Sven Väth and Carl Cox, alongside obscurities unlikely to grace Spotify. “There’s music recorded from radio sets, found nowhere else,” states the Telekom Electronic Beats team, who curated this auditory treasure trove from second-hand shops and private collections.

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Open until 27 September, the booth encourages visitors to linger and listen, or even swap cassette tapes, creating a community-driven experience. “It’s a place where people can share their music, creating a community-driven experience,” reflects Karadeniz.

Creating Soundscapes: Yont Studio’s Signature Approach

This innovative sound installation is the latest in a series of engaging music spaces designed by Yont Studio. Known for their playful brutalism, using an epoxy-foam blend, they have previously captivated audiences at Milan Design Week and a record store they designed in Berlin’s Mitte district.

“In our increasingly digital world, there’s a revived interest in sensual experiences,” Ayvaz says. “Sound is one of the first things you notice in a space, and it catalyzes a genuine presence and experience.”

The photography is by Juan Camilo for Telekom Electronic Beats.

Source: dezeen.com

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