On the Notation of Sound Spaces

OR, HOW TO THINK ARCHITECTURE BASED ON SOUND

This study is dedicated to the investigation of sound spaces as an integral part of architectural practice and proposes a sound-based architecture that overcomes traditional soundscape research. Previous approaches have considered soundscapes as a spatial phenomenon, but in their material basis they are either considered as musical compositions or as a purely acoustic problem, and are therefore never seen as an architectural task. Instead, this text proposes considering sound spaces as genuine architectural elements that cannot be defined by existing disciplines such as music or acoustics, but must be thought of from an architecture-immanent perspective, which also requires a rethinking of our understanding of architecture.

Central concepts developed in this work are architectural listening and sound space sequence. Architectural listening describes the active perception of sound-based spatial elements. A sound space sequence is understood as an improvised movement through space, in which sound-based elements are perceived and documented along a path. Sound spaces can be defined as the sum of all possible sound space sequences needed at the very least to sufficiently capture a sound space and document the multi-sensory and rhythmic quality of this space.

The work assumes a media construction of architectural practice that consists of a dichotomy between perceived space (external position) and geometric space (internal position), which has grown since modern times. This separation, which might offer many possibilities for architectural practice, has led to a visual dominance and a neglect of multi-sensory aspects, especially hearing. This analysis therefore suggests developing the current architectural ontology further, by including sound and sound-based elements, which are considered as independent architectural design elements, in order to be able to refer to sound spaces as architectural elements. To this purpose, a theoretical basis is created on the basis of the description of sound in space using an event-based approach, the theory of spatially distributed sound effects, the concept of space-based sound atmospheres and the way these elements are perceived.

The aim of this work is to represent sound spaces integrated into architecture and de fined from this point of view in established media, e.g. 2D plans, in order to integrate them not only phenomenologically, but fully into architectural practice. To this aim, a notation method is developed that visualizes sound-based architecture. In this method, sounds are not represented as timeless objects, but the path of perception is documented in the plans. In contrast to related disciplines such as sound art or auditory architecture, as well as current research on the notation of sounds. This work is explicitly positioned in the context of architectural practice. The aim is to consider sound and architecture not only as coexisting, but to merge them and to think architecture in a sound-based way.

 

Excerpt from the map of Sirenen

Nicolaj Kirisits (2019), Sirenen, interactive binaural audio installation, wireless headphones, gyroscope, screen, graphic map of audio landscape (120 x 120 cm), #fuckreality / XIII Bienal de La Habana