SSEI, El Pájaro
Developed in 2020, the S.S. I (Sound System I), nicknamed "El Pájaro," is the inaugural piece of the studio’s signature loudspeaker collection. This project marks a milestone in the team’s research into high-fidelity audio combined with radical material circularity. The project is rooted in a unique historical timeline: the material's journey began in 2018 as part of Subterránea, an urban installation for the Concéntrico Festival in Logroño that featured a functional skate ramp with an integrated sound system. Following the festival, the structure was dismantled and brought to the atelier. During the 2020 lockdown, the design team revisited these components, transforming the raw material into a sophisticated sound unit.
The conceptual core of El Pájaro is built upon the "pro-cycling" philosophy. Its structure is crafted from upcycled, sustainably grown European poplar plywood. This material holds a significant narrative: after its time in Logroño, it was utilized as the architectural framework for the Materia Gris exhibition (CentroCentro, 2021). Once the exhibition concluded, the studio reclaimed the 48 boards to give them a permanent life through sound. In line with the studio’s commitment to transparency, the cabinet's assembly avoids all glues. Instead, it is held together by heat-blackened screws and finished with a water-based varnish, ensuring the object remains a technical asset that can be fully disassembled.
Technically, the S.S. I is a high-performance machine designed for immersive spatial activation. It delivers 2,500 watts of power distributed across three channels, with two speakers per channel (high, medium, and low) using high-end B&C components. To optimize internal resonance, the studio utilized 100% recycled textile geopanels for the interior acoustic treatment. This glue-free dampening system prioritizes material purity while meeting professional audio standards.
Standing as a "sonic totem", El Pájaro bridges the gap between technical excellence and ecological responsibility. By merging sophisticated audio engineering with the recontextualization of territorial resources—from skate ramps to museum galleries—the design team has created a functional object that acts as a physical archive of its own material and urban history.