Curating Sound/Designing Place

Abstract

        Acoustics is one of the related disciplines taught in architectural studies. This paper discusses that the acoustic study in architecture can be more than defining the spatial proportion and calculating the effects of material selection in order to create the acoustic room. By treating acoustics, or to be more specific, sound, as another type of materials, architects can explore the other dimensions carried within the sound’s characteristics and soundscapes into the design. The given examples, drawn from experimental sound design exhibitions, shed light on the idea that the combinatorial curated sounds and designed spaces can work in tandem to redefine a place, becoming a ‘place-making’ tool. Thus, the outcomes of the process can be both cultural and functional as they are able to illuminate the sensory perception which in turn help create the experiences which is one of the fundamental roles of architecture.