The Wave Organ

The Wave Organ is a wave-activated acoustic sculpture that turns the rhythmic ebb and flow of the San Francisco Bay into a subterranean symphony. Completed in 1986, the structure consists of twenty-five pipes made of concrete and PVC that extend down into the water at various elevations. As the tide rises and falls, water surges in and out of these pipes, creating a unique, ever-changing series of gurgles, splashes, and deep, resonant booms. The intensity and character of the sound depend entirely on the state of the tide, making the ocean itself the performer of this ongoing, natural concert.