Mountains of Sound is back.

Now in its second year at Pickathon, the installation anchors the Market neighborhood and the central hub of the festival, where foot traffic converges and people find each other between sets. This year’s structure takes its inspiration from Wizard Island, the volcanic cinder cone at the center of Crater Lake, formed from the same geological forces that shaped the mountains around it.

The Concept

The mountains that form Oregon’s volcanic history are the state’s navigational backbone, visible from the cities, towns, rivers, forests, and farmlands across the region. Together they are a shared reference point that has drawn people together for generations. They are landmarks in the truest sense: places that tell you where you are and, in doing so, remind you that you’re part of something larger.

Mountains of Sound began with two questions: what if we created our own mountains? And what if we embedded them with interactive, social, and sonic qualities?

The Structure

Designed by award-winning architecture studio West of West and structural engineers at Holmes, this year’s installation is a tall circular pavilion built from 120 radiating timber frames that sweep low to the ground at the center before rising at the outer edges to create shade.

Up close, the installation is built to be used. Benches run along both the inner and outer edges of the structure, inviting visitors to sit, lean back, and look up through the interlocking timber frames at the sky. By day it functions as a shaded retreat, a place to rest, recharge, and arrange a meeting point amid the energy of the festival. After dark, the character shifts entirely: the dance floor activates, a DJ performs within the crowd, and sound is embedded directly into the structure to fill the space from every direction.

“Mountains of Sound is an installation designed to engage all your senses by creating rhythms of light and shadow throughout the day. And as you move through it, the experience moves with you, nothing is static. Every moment inside it is a different way of experiencing the music.” — Jai Kumaran

Built to Live On

The team approached the project’s material use by asking a single question from the start: where will this go next? Past projects have seen festival stages transformed into sleeping pods for veterans and tons of lumber donated to local high schools. Mountains of Sound continues that tradition, conceived from the outset as a future community asset.

About the Design Team

West of West is an award-winning architecture practice that engages the worlds of design, art, culture, and technology to shape contemporary life and the built environment at all scales. Founded in Los Angeles, the studio has been named one of the Top 50 Design Firms in North America and recognized as one of the Top 220 Architects in the world. Their research and design process prioritizes listening and clear communication to translate ambitious strategic concepts into impactful architectural solutions, exploring design ideas through project-directed research that integrates craft, materials, form, and proven building practices within a collaborative, stakeholder-driven approach. Their work draws from the unique conditions around each project to create meaningful places.

Holmes pursues bold ideas and possibilities, challenging conventional thinking with creativity, technical expertise, and a hands-on approach to solving tough problems. As structural and fire engineers, Holmes designs with impact, shaping the built world not only through aesthetics and function, but through a deep commitment to sustainability, safety, and resilience. Their work is never done in isolation: Holmes is an active participant in the broader regional, global, and professional conversations that shape our shared built environment. Born in New Zealand more than 65 years ago, Holmes has grown into a distinctively international practice of local partners and global specialists. With more than 500 people worldwide, the firm delivers a powerful combination of innovation, technical excellence, and pragmatic problem-solving.

Mountains of Sound is at Pickathon July 30 – August 2 at Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, Oregon. Click here for tickets.