"Architecture of the iPod's generation"*

Abed E. Badran [B.Arch. B.Sc. SE]

Master of Science in industrial design, Technion

PhD Researcher in
Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
badranAE@cf.ac.uk, Badran@deidea.net
LinkedIn Profile

Visible things are made to lead us to the knowledge of invisible things

[Derrida]

Abstract: Space is associated with particular sonic characteristics, which can

be identified and grouped according to different emergences and

designations of the architectural space. The study objective is to present
and consolidate the knowledge on criteria related to Soundscape design in
architecture. This was accomplished by an exposure of a new lexicon, which
has enough to draw the outline of the sound-space design field and has
enough to lay down the foundation stone for "Architecture of the IPod's
generation".

1. Introduction
Sight, hearing, touch, and smell are the primary means by which we
understand and interpret form, space and materials. Figure out that one
New Yorker who was born with deafness has decided to explore, for the
first time, the central park in Manhattan or to explore the city while his
hearing sensation is disabled, can we imagine how he should characterize
the dumb city? How he can fully sense its quotidian urban events? How he
will interprets the visual signs in the city spatiality? Can he catalogue a
perfect memory about its vernacular places without to feel its sonic
landscapes?

These vital questions would make partial list of what might be undertaken
by architects and designers when they are asked to make an exciting new
environment that intends to whip up our sensations. Whether it is a virtual in
the cyberspace or a physical in the real city, these places might be rendered
by 'sonic events'.

(i)

(ii)
Plate-1: Sonic Environment (i) Actual
Sonic Environment. (ii) Abstract Sonic
Environment: Virtual Sonic Environment.
(iii) Abstract Sonic Environment: music.

(iii)

2. Objectives

The purpose of this study is to account the theoretical and practical

evolution of the 'sound-space' conception and its role in architectural space
design during the 20th and the 21st. Among the issues that will be
considered are; a historical presentation on 'sound-space' conception and
practice until the modern era, and opinions of theorists and thinkers who
are interested in the role of sound, noise, and music in the Modern, Post-

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Modern and contemporary space. The study examines and characterizes

the sound-space; it identifies the design criteria of the sound-space in
architecture. The study accounts the major patterns of the architect's
involvement with sound and the spatial conception of Soundscape in
architecture at all. It is not meant here to study the sound-space from the
engineering aspect, or the so-called "engineering acoustics", "room
acoustics", or "noise/pollution control".

3. 'Soundscape'

Plate- 2: Toward soundscape design as an interdisciplinary domain. Architecture among

other domains contributes its part

The phenomenon of sound associated with the architectural space is an

ancient phenomenon. Although the concept was dormant for ages before
our age, linking between music, sound, noise and architecture is evident in
many written works since the late Modernism. Such an overtly mutual
interest between architecture and music appears in many written works.
Musical bibliography is sprinkled with various references to architects and
buildings, and vice versa. Since the 1950s the works of the American
composer, John Cage, has succeed to influence many architects. In the late
1960s, the Canadian composer Raymond Schafer introduced the notion

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'Soundscape' as the sonic environment, and drew out its physical and
abstract outlines. Schafer defines the noise abatement as a negative
approach. Instead he introduces a positive studying one; when we know
which sounds do we want to preserve, encourage, multiply? Then, the
boring or unpleasant sounds will be clear enough and we will know why we
must eliminate them.

4. 'SoundSpace'
Onward, Soundscape study has penetrated many fields of knowledge and
technology. In the last decade, the Soundscape research has began to build
the 'Soundscape design field' as a new and interdisciplinary field, where
Schafer's doctrine is bringing to a possible spatial/architectural conception
of this design field. Simultaneously, in the contemporary age, modern forms
of the digital media promote radically different and revolutionary messages
in architecture. For instance, it is typical of our contemporary worldview that
Radio, Telephone and iPods are agents, which privatizes what would have
been inherently public sounds and have been performed in public space.
Such evolutionary messages undermined and challenged the visual space
in architecture. Since the middle of the 20th century, a new practice with a
strong influence from electronic music, progressive technology, and lately
the penetration of the philosophical-phenomenological discourse which
based on the physical experience of materials and their sensory properties.
An exact expression of these phenomena is that the contemporary
discourse on Soundscape makes the 'sound/space' relationship a crucial
element in architectural design. And consequently, architectural spaces
emerged associated with new insights; from Philips Pavilion of Le
Corbusier in World Expo'58, through Serpentine Pavilion of Alvaro Siza in
Kensington Gardens'2005 and tens of buildings. In literature, this practice
known in different notions; "Auditory/Aural Architecture", "Soundscape
Architecture" and "Sound-Space" practice. Due to progressive technology
usage, we could be impressed here that there is a trial to bridge the

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technological

gap

between

architecture

and

other

contemporary

disciplines, such as film, product design, fashion and multimedia, where

architecture is notoriously slow in regards to these disciplines. However,
Marshall Mcluhan presents another perspective dominated by the
explanation that our Modern organization of experience/place has moved
from its pre-modernity basis in aurality to an emphasis on visuality, and is
now being transformed yet again by the rise of electric/electronic culture.
Critical review of the found literature reveals that the Soundscape design
field is far from being consolidated; a lack of authentic interdisciplinary
approach that proposes a comprehensive practical methodology of design
and a neglect of characterizing Soundscape design criteria. Furthermore,
the found literature indicates the potential role of architecture in building
the Soundscape design field, however there is a lack of comprehensive
architectural design approach of the sound-space. Developing knowledge
in this topic has a theoretical and practical importance, particularly in the
Spatio-Temporal design context.

5.Hypothesis
The basic hypothesis of this study is that space is associated with particular
sonic characteristics, which have been considered in contemporary
architectural theory and practice, and it can be identified or grouped
corresponding to different emergences and designations of the space
design. Therefore, the study objective is to present and consolidate the
knowledge on Soundscape design criteria in architecture: to identify
characteristics based on analysis of the theoretical contemporary discourse
on "sound space/aural architecture", to select architectural precedents that
can be categorized as a sound-space practice, to exemplify an analysis
method on these precedents and consolidate Soundscape design
principles.

6.Methodology
Engaging the vast literature on Soundscape initially leads us to a number of
observations and realizations. However, given the extraordinary breadth of
materials written on Soundscape and sound-space, not to mention the
extensive spanning buildings, to begin our own undertaking with the
reciprocal relation of sound/space is to confront a mass of materials,
opinions, bibliography, references, and anecdotes. For this purpose, the
aim of the literature survey was to complete knowledge in the levels of
historical and contemporary contexts of the sound/space relationship, to
build a body of knowledge on the previous relevant research, and to build a
comprehension of found tendencies.
The study is conducted in several stages. First, the study defines and
identifies the sound-space characteristics which have been discussed in the
theoretical architectural discourse. The method was used is based on
analysis and synthesis of the main theoretical tendencies which discuss the
'sound/space' relationship, whether it was direct or indirect, limited or wide.

7.Characteristics of SoundSpace
As a result, the study identifies 15 characteristics and features of the soundspace; Auditory Perception, the Diagram, Structure of Time, Experience,
Sonic Happening, Interaction, Immateriality vs. Materiality, Echolocation,
Aesthetics\Synesthesia, Semiotics, Sense of Place, Association and Memory,
Neutrality, Mood, sonic identity/branding. The findings show that the more
the relationship between space, sound and listeners is complicated in a
certain space, the more it is dense and consists of diverse characteristics.

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Plate -3: Sonic perception: materials, distances, and surfaces

Plate- 4: The diagram: spatial/aural structure of organization

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Plate- 5: sound is heard where immaterial is found

Later on, a working definition of sound-space is defined to form a criterion

according to which precedents are to be chosen and sampling is to be
built. About 29 precedents complied with this criterion; however, the
sampling included a building, a pavilion, an urban object, an installation,
and a virtual space from the precedent's list. A necessarily prerequisite for
inclusion of any precedent in the sampling is the availability of reliable,
detailed and complete materials.

8.Sound-Space Design Criteria

Finally, a comparison is done between the theoretical conceptualization of
the characteristics and their utilization in design practice, in this stage, the
study analyzes the five-precedent sampling by using the characteristics that
were conceptualized in the previous stage. The convergence extent of any
characteristic in the precedent's sampling is an indication on its importance.
One of the research's limitation is finding the method to analyze the
sound/space relationship, a preliminary strategy is taken on; an
'observation' and search for the vocal significance of the sound-space; how
does the meanings of the sound become associated in the space? How the
configurative characteristics of the space influence the sound in return?
How people relate to their sonic space? And what meaning and values they

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ascribe to it. One of the research extraordinariness is implementing pattern

language

for

comprehending

the

sound-space,

patterns

of

its

characteristics, and patterns of its design criteria. As an example, the study

presents

five

design

criteria

of

the

sound-space:

the

dynamic

diagram/structure, immersion scale, interdisciplinary, interactivity, and

listening/hearing. From critical analysis of the sound-space system in fiveprecedent sampling it could be concluded that, the sound is architectural as
well as spatial, the conception that sound is just a 'form generator' is a visual
and mechanical conception of the sound's role in the architectural space,
the design criteria are performed in three modes; mode of thoughts, mode
of expression and mode of production, i.e. from conception to making. The
significant processes do not occur just through the conceptual dimension of
thought but through the technological physical dimension as well.

Plate -7: The dynamic diagram criterion

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Plate -8: "listening & hearing" criterion

9.Conclusion
In conclusion, from the link between architecture and sound, many great
concepts have been developed, and several good buildings have been
born. This study contributes to the definition of the sound-space design
field in the contemporary discourse on architecture and Soundscape. The
findings reveal a new developing architecture, which takes on sound-space
conceptions

to

interdisciplinary

and

extraordinary

involvement,

consolidating new concepts, elementary and timeless ones.

* Review of Master Research, completed in Technion, by the supervision of Rivka Oxman.

2009