1. Krypta – Grossmünster, Zürich

Purpose: Acoustic Architecture planned to enhance single or multiple human voices.

Description: The 3×3 grid of vaulted spaces produces uniform geometries of sound feedback loops for the sound producing agent and who is listening.

Interest: A personal encounter with sound within the space that lead to an increased in the geometries through empiric testing.

Acoustic Events: If standing in the centre of the room and making sound there is a lot of reverberation. This is due to the vaulted ceilings and also to the multiplicity of the Vaults which I imagine creates multiple delays of the sounds which reache the ear little by little and travel long distances within the room.

Laypersons description: “Like, the room is like a magic box for the human voice which enhances any sound coming from a single source.”

Adjectives:

−  Live

−  Echoey

−  Reverb-y

−  Resonant

2. Field – Hönggerberg, Zürich

Purpose: The purpose of this field is agriculture and it is also a leisure space next to a forest.

Description: A flat surface where the only reflective surface of sound is the ground. Sound travels into the horizon. Is this sound in it’s pure form? The only acoustic feedback comes directly from the emitting agent.

Interest: Understanding how sound sounds when there is no reflection.

Acoustic Events: Linear Spheric dispersion of sound through air. Influenced by atmospheric pressures, temperature, wind, humidity.

Laypersons description: In this configuration sounds are heard purely. Meaning that the sound which is heard is of the actual frequency, tone and volume, without intensification by reflections of other surfaces. The earthen ground absorbs and reflects little sound.

Adjectives:

−  Lush

−  Open

−  Balanced

3. Forest – Käferberg, Zürich

Purpose: What is the purpose of a forest?

Description: Another primordial space, the forest presents very good acoustic qualities.

Interest: Often described as the ideal space to hear sound. Understanding how the irregular and soft reflective surfaces of leaves act upon the translation of sound into sense.

Acoustic Events: Sound can be heard clearly as it’s reflection is rich through an extremely complex geometry of the space. The humid and hummus rich ground absorbs a lot of the sound and the leaves and trunks reflect sound in al directions. The sound arrives into ones ear from almost every single angle.

Laypersons description: “I love the sound of birds while walking in the forest. Is this why birds love sitting on trees? Maybe they are sound narcissists and love listening to their own sound in the best possible quality.”

Adjectives:

−  Warm

−  Crisp

-Perfect

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Other Spaces of Interest:

-A mother womb. I came to this thought by asking the question: what is the first sound I heard? I wonder when the ears develop during the growth of a foetus. Another thought is that sound might be the first sense humans develop.

-In the vacuum of space

-Teatro Massimo, Palermo: The Dome in one of the lobbys of the biggest Opera of Europe / (the world?)

-Grotte Saint Césaire, Nizza: Here was found a relation between cave paintings and the echos produced within the cave.