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SAFIYA AHMED GRAPHIC DESIGNER EDUCATOR CO-FOUNDER SAFIYA AHMED GRAPHIC DESIGNER EDUCATOR CO-FOUNDER SAFIYA AHMED GRAPHIC DESIGNER EDUCATOR CO-FOUNDER


The Sound Hive



Interactive sound and light installation with Ricebox Studio. Newham, 2025.

Role: Workshop facilitator and lead visual designer.

The Sound Hive is an interactive sound and light installation inspired by nature, designed by Ricebox Studio in collaboration with primary school children from Newham. Commissioned by Culture Within Newham for their Winter Commission 2024/25, the artwork follows the story of a special bee and uses a ‘traffic light system’ to prompt reflection on recycling and sustainability. It captures Newham’s soundscape through the perspective of its youngest residents and has been touring East London since April 2025.

I ran creative workshops with 3 local primary schools where children used everyday objects to explore environmental impact, collaborating to produce sounds and visuals for an interactive synth table. The table, built with Arduino, Bare Conductive, touch-sensitive LEDs, wood, and acrylic, encourages collaboration, music-making, and reflection on how daily choices affect the environment.


The Sound Hive was launched at Beckton Globe Library in April 2025, and has been on tour since, visiting places like Newham Citizens Science Fair, various primary schools and almost all libraries throughout Newham. 

For this commission, we had to pitch our idea to the Children’s Board! The Children’s Board is made up of 8-11 year olds from across Newham and has an important voice in shaping Culture Within Newham’s activity programme, including voting for the Winter Commission winner who would work with them to make an artwork that everyone in Newham could enjoy. After a tense coloured lolly stick vote, the winner was announced – Ricebox Studio with their interactive sound table!

This video showcases the process of working with the Children’s Board in more detail