A list of changes made, work added to this project since its initial submission.
Over the course of this academic year each project completed has drawn inspiration from the two following themes- sound and/or stories. This commonality was not entirely intentional, it was not forced but happened naturally. Showing clearly how my conceptual thinking has developed over this year.
Project One introduces both of these themes. Although this project is more explicitly about sound. It’s initial conception stemmed from a folk tale found before the initial site visit. As a result of this, the information I sought out during this visit was quite particular.
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PAGES 30,46,48,72
BOOKS IN THIS SERIES
Story 1: Melodic Passage: The gift of Sound
Story 2: Safe + Sound
Story 3: Between the Lines: Into Wonderland
Melodic Passage:The Gift Of Sound
Between the Lines:Into Wonderland
DESIGN BRIEF + CLIENT BRIEF
Architecture and urbanism play an important role in the structuring and restructuring of communities; at the same time, they reflect such formed communities, their cultures, traditions, beliefs, and ideologies. In addition, architecture and urbanism also reflect the authority of their governing states/regimes. Unveiling the interconnection of the community and our cities’ structure is the first and the most significant step to finding out the ethical function of architecture and urbanism.
Architects currently have increasing responsibility toward their transforming world; witnessing climate emergency, wars, poverty, deforestation, soil erosion, hunger, pollution, injustice, inequality, mass extinction of species, uncontrollable wildfires, mass migration, in addition to recent pandemics - the ravages of our time. So, it is essential that the generations of young architects start engaging responsibly with their contexts and work on creating a supportive environment suitable for the 21st Century.
For the individual Learning Room design, each student will need to prepare a set of scaled drawings of the pier and its immediate surroundings, including plans, sections, and elevations. Before you start your design, you will develop the following:
A. Design Brief: identify the type of learning taking place in your designed space and its requirements (e.g. ergonomics, functional, climatic, etc.)
B. Client Brief : identify the type of users who will be engaging with the space.
Supported by research, you will select a suitable section of the pier where you best locate your room.
The Learning Room design should fulfil the following:
- Be supportive of the defined learning purpose
- Allow group use (i.e., not only for individual use)
- Engage with the pier (from above, below or both
MAIN OBJECTIVES
1. SENSORY IMMERSION
This ‘building needs to be a fully immersive experience for the user. Touch, hear, see , smell- what is the most important to this project?
2.INNOVATION USE OF MATERIALS
Think outside the box. It shouldn’t be boring or something based in reality.
3. INTERACTION WITH EXISTING CONTEXT
Needs to interact with he pier. This connection should be intentional.
4. EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
All the best art actually ‘says’ something and has an everlasting effect on the viewer.
Architects and artists interested ins sound and sound amplification
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
1.AMPLIFICATION OF THE WIND
How and why?
2.STRUCTURAL STRATEGY
How will it connect to the pier
3. SAFETY
Strongest winds are usually found at the sea front.
4. AESTHETIC
Shouldn’t take away from the existing beauty of the pier. Almost a natural addition to the landscape
PROJECT 1 - MELODIC PASSAGE:
THE GIFT OF SOUND
PREFACE
With the intention of transforming the passive sound of the wind into a fully immersive experience. This project entitled ‘Melodic Passage: the gift of sound’ amplifies this passive sound by playing with the wind itself, with the use of 180 wind chimes based on the pentatonic scales of D4 and E4. By design these wind chimes act as walls, creating an enclosed space in which the protagonist can choose to simply sit and listen or engage with the learning material of the space.
“Melodic Passage: the gift of sound” intends to be more than just a tourist attraction; it is an exploration of how architecture can evoke emotion. Challenging conventional notions of space, inviting many to experience architecture as they never have before.
Meet the main characters for this project:
This project celebrates the gift of sound and its power to transform our perception of space.
Southport Pier
Alice the Tourist
The Phantom Aeolus - God of the wind
PROLOGUE
After reading the brief I sought out inspiration for this project through many different forms of media. This first being literature. Primarily focused on fiction, I discovered a folk tale titled ‘The Phantom Voice’. Despite being short this tale left a lasting impression on me, the reader.
The Phantom
Aeolus - God of the wind
LOCATION PLAN
Southport Pier
MEET ALICE
Alice is a multidisciplinary artist, aged 56. One day she randomly decided to take a solo trip to Southport. She used to visit often as a child with her parents and older sister and then again with her children, but over time it became very difficult to make time for the trip. This journey was intended to be a sort of reset for Alice. Currently she is experiencing the worst creative block of her career. She hope that something in Southport will reignite that flame.
Alice took throughout the day. That will be used later on as reference images. -
Alice the Tourist
IMG_762
Photos
Colours, shapes etc.
CHAPTER 1
SITE PHOTOS
The beauty of the old contrasts with the creativity of the new. This graffiti is located beneath this bridge.
Seashells, barnacles, seaweed and plastic waste. Collection of items found on the beach. These items could influence shape and form.
This part of the pier sits over Marine Lake. Often a resting place for swans, ducks etc.
Connects to [3] acts as a welcoming entrance to the winding path.
EXITING SITE ELEVATION
THE WIND PRESENTS
In the beginning of this project we were assigned a group task. Each group was tasked with completing a section of the ‘Town Catalogue’ to fully explain the city’s structure. My group chose to complete section E. Climatic and Nature’s Studies: which involves but is not limited to Climate, Ecology, Vegetation, Topography, Geology, and sources of pollution. The research shown on this page and the most relevant to my current project at this moment in time is work completed by Zara Chaudhry.
Charts describing wind speed and it’s increase over the course of 5 years
THE PHANTOM VOICE REBORN
Once on site the sound of the wind was overwhelming. Impeding my thoughts, my sight ( My eyes tear up whenever wind comes near them) ans my hearing and voice- I realised later that at certain points when on the beach my voice had to be a little louder than usual when communicating with my friends if they were not stood directly next to me.
This page contains my recordings of the site, acting as the exiting soundtrack of the site.
Cars contribute the most to noise pollution in this area. The pier is not too far from the town centre and is also located near a large car park.
People
Wildlife
Noise ‘pollution’ is greater the further you go into town.
This area highlighted is a retail park and hence attracts many people. Within this park there are many shops, places to eat as well as leisure activities. Located next to the beach its organisation encourages people to ‘walk and talk.’
A natural source of noise.
A natural source of noise.
Source’s of Noise
Cars
Morrisons and Leisure Centre
CHAPTER 2
AMPLIFICATION OF THE WIND
Making you notice.
Site of Sound #2: Of Architecture and the Ear
By Brandon Labelle
THE SINGING RINGING TREE
Sculpture by Anna Liu and Mike Tonkin
SOUND AS ART
“Sound Sculpture is the organisation of sound in space. It is a way of thinking and working with the sounds around us.
Sound sculpture is the bringing together of visual art and musical art. The fusion makes a new and exciting sound art, involving time, space, sight and sound.”
Sounds in Space
By Ross Bandit
INITIAL SKETCHES
The main questions that arose after reflecting on my initial sketches were:
1. How exactly do wind chimes work and what factors affect its sound output?
2. Length, diameter and material choices will decide if this is considered dangerous
3. How can I control the movement of the chimes so that I doesn’t knock visitors down and off the pier on an extremely windy day?
4. How big can a wind chime be ?
Experimental placement on pier
Closer to the sea = more wind=louder sound?
Exploration of floor plan
Amplification of Sound Experimentation
Can the string run through or does it have to be outside?
How does this factor affect the sound output ?
What other factors affect the sound output?
Immersive experience
Here it is implied that the user will have to walk through the wind chimes to get to the learning space.
How will they be held up?
INITIAL SKETCHES
Finding the pitch
Positioning of chimes
Connecting to the pier
DEVELOPMENT MODELS
Tests
Holding the wire (limited movement) Not holding the wire (free movement)
This first test looks to measure the level of sound omitted when a piece of string/wire is ran through the tube.
Linking back to my initial sketches this idea was an attempt at a solution to any safety issues that may arise.
Controlled variables for these experiments were; the tube (length, material,etc.) The wire (length, type,etc.) and the striker (wood). In the videos attached we can see that there is a difference in sound. When holding the wire the sound is much quieter.
Normal craft wire was used here. Thread through and tied on the outside created the smooth loop that exited from the top of the tube.
This test had the same controlled variables only this time the wire running through to limit movement was completely removed. Here the sound output was much louder and clearer.
Also, although not photographed we also tested different materials used to strike the tube. Discovering that metal had the better and clearer output. Creating a better, more immersive auditory experience.
This tube has a slight bend in it. We this likely had an affect on the sound output but for the sake of time this was ignored.
Here is the final version created using the collected data from the previous tests. This is also not tuned to a specific note as it was created using scrap.
Copper hollow tube Wire
TEST#1
TEST#3
TEST #2
HOW DO WIND CHIMES WORK?
Top support Base
A circular piece of wood/ metal that holds the chimes the correct distance apart
Striker
This is what creates the sound. When this part strikes the chimes the sound it heard.
THE WORLDS LARGEST WIND CHIME
Although it has the shares the same features as the one studied above this set is not tuned. Meaning the sound produced is not that pleasant to the hear, just loud.
It consists of five metal tubes which are suspended 49 ft from the ground. The wind chime weighs a total of 7.6804 tonnes.
Courtesy of Hannah Hopkins
Chimes
These hollow tubes of aluminium are what make the sound. Each is tuned to a different notes
Wind catcher/sail
The wind sail catches the wind, causing the striker to hit the chimes.
The world’s largest wind chime was made by Jim Bolin and is located at 109 East Main Street, Casey, Illinois.
EXPLORATION INTO SAFETY
Protecting visitors and combating high winds was a potential issue noted early on in this process. Through research I found that using a keeper striker instead of a more common form of striker would be the best method to resolving this issue.
THE WORLDS LARGEST WIND CHIME
Continued...
For safety during high winds, the wind catcher is removed and this device they call a ‘stopper’ is set in place on the chimes.
This is called a keeper striker. Used top combat the issue of safety during high winds. The negative of using this type of striker is that it dulls the overall sound of the wind chime, but not by much
Art installation
Designed by Didzis Jaunzems, Juta Davidovska
With the intention of transforming the passive sound of the wind into a fully immersive experience. This project entitled ‘Melodic Passage: the gift of sound’ amplifies this passive sound by playing with the wind itself, with the use of 180 wind chimes based on the pentatonic scales of D4 and E4.Strategic placement /organisation, length and pitch of the chimes seeks to fully engage the protagonists auditory senses by limiting the others, such as vision.
By design these wind chimes act as walls, creating an enclosed space in which the protagonist can choose to simply sit and listen or engage with the learning material of the space.
LOCATION PLAN
Floor Plan of one repeated unit
Scale 1:50 @ A4
FLOOR PLAN ROOF PLAN
CIRCULATION DIAGRAM
Moving like the wind
Entering the first unit then engaging with the information boards
Entering the first unit and resting
Leaving the pier
Circulation diagram for one repeated unit
Scale 1:50@ A4
THE PROTAGONIST CHOOSES HOW THEY EXPERIENCE THE
ELEVATION
Rear Elevation in context
Scale 1:50 @ A4
Side Elevation in context
Scale 1:50 @ A4
Axonometric drawing of one unit
Scale 1:100@ A4
AXONOMETRIC
WIND CHIMES DETAIL DRAWING
COPPER
GREEN-C#5
Precious Tunde-Olaitan
Copper
Blue - D 4, Green - B 4 Yellow - E 4 Red - D 5, Pink - G #5
