Blind as a bat: An investigative study into how aural architecture informs our spatial perception and context

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School of Arts, Design and Architecture | Master's thesis
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Authors

Date

2019

Department

Department of Design
Muotoilun laitos

Major/Subject

Mcode

Degree programme

Product and Spatial Design

Language

en

Pages

96

Series

Abstract

As designers, we are beholden to our sense of sight. Particularly within the field of spatial design, the design process tends to anchor itself on the visual outcome of a space without nearly as much weight given to its sonic component, aural architecture. Yet, in the ways that a visual architecture can support an identity of a space, so can the aural. As we seek to design spaces that are appropriately rooted in environmental context, the need to address this from an acoustic perspective becomes increasingly more relevant in a digital era where mechanized sounds and noise proliferate our soundscapes. Through an investigation into the experiential intersections between data, sound, and space, this thesis aims to develop a stronger case for why aural architecture has relevance not only in the fields of art, design, and architecture, but also for the wider global community. In the research, both phenomenological and scientific viewpoints are analyzed to define a theoretical framework that guides the following design experimentation section in attempts to explore and uncover different perspectives on the topic. From forays into data-driven sonic compositions to ultrasonic theremins, these experiments explore the interactions between user and sonic space in the development of a spatial element prototype that acts as a tangible manifestation of all the preceding studies. With this prototype module as a starting point, the thesis eventually culminates in the design of a full-scale interactive, experiential installation to be exhibited early 2020. As a concept, this installation starts to bridge the gap between how we perceive space through visual and auditory means, while at the same time fostering and reiterating the underlying embodiment that is to hear space.

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Supervisor

Kareoja, Pentti

Thesis advisor

Pišorec, Luka

Keywords

aural architecture, spatial perception, installation, embodied interaction, pervasive computing, experience design

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Citation

Permanent link to this item

https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-201911106221

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[master] Taiteiden ja suunnittelun korkeakoulu / ARTS