Sound and Architecture

Abstract

"If surgery is all about reparation, then architecture is about experimentation" (Wiel Arets). With Detroit as my playground I see unique opportunities to speculate, experiment, and create. As a city ages, it is seen as a procession of phases, and in these phases it must learn new techniques in order to survive. New buildings and ideas can be inserted into the context of the city; old buildings and ideas can be used and injected with new life and energy. Through a series of experiments with new techniques and innovations this thesis will attempt to re-consider the way we perceive sound and the way this experience can be enhanced through the interaction with architecture. How can we heighten our senses toward sound or change the way we traditionally experience sound and how can this influence and ultimately create an architecture? A building can be experienced beyond the simple look of its façade, it can become a canvas or an instrument for sound. This investigation will address sound as the tool of innovation, seeking to render a relationship between the human experience and architecture.