SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

SOUND SHAPE SPACE THE ONTOLOGY OF SPACE IN ARCHITECTURE

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SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

BY SEAN W. ROBBINS

SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE THE ONTOLOGY OF SPACE IN ARCHITECTURE by Sean W. Robbins B.Arch.Sci, Ryerson University, 2008

A design research thesis, presented to Ryerson University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture in the Program of The Department of Architectural Science Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2013 © Sean W. Robbins 2013

I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required ďŹ nal revisions, as accepted by my examiners.

I authorize Ryerson University to lend this thesis to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research.

Sean W. Robbins

I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce this thesis by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research.

I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public.

Sean W. Robbins

v

SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE Sean W. Robbins Ryerson University Master of Architecture 2013

Abstract This work seeks to embark on a radically

understand space — and for this reason

different understanding of space that sheds

acts as the starting point and lens through

its preconceived physical attributes. Borne

which the radical recalibration of space is to

from a criticism of the imbalanced approach

be understood. This exploration culminates

to architectural design, which focuses on

with an architectural excursus that seeks

‘form’, the aim is to redeem ‘space’ as the

to put these ideas into tectonic expression,

inextricably linked, yet forgotten, partner of

presenting one interpretation of the principles

form in the design process. Herein, space

forged through the theoretical work herein.

is re-framed in an ontological manner as it

By using sound in reaction with form, the

relates to architecture, that is, as having to

work will engage in the design of space in

do with ‘being’. To accomplish this, sound

the ontological sense; as it relates to being,

becomes pivotal, constituting a catalyst in

namely, that of human social practice. At its

the reaction with form that brings ontological

heart, this work is not really about sound or

space to life within architecture. Sound is

space, or even architecture for that matter. It

a spatial hermeneutic — what we use to

is about the way in which humans exist.

vii

Acknowledgements Foremost, this process would not

informally into the future (if there is such a thing

have been possible without the guidance

as ‘the future’).

and leadership of Colin Ripley, my thesis

For opening the breadth and width

supervisor. The simple yet audacious “what

of my research process I must also thank

if” questions often lead to unexplored

Paul Floerke, whose instigations of the

territories and exciting sonic excursions to

meaning of sound and silence proved of the

places I never would have gone myself. For

utmost importance as the scaffold on which

quelling my delusions of imminent failure by

to structure my thought process.

re-framing them as necessary touchstones

To the many other professors with

of the murky and exciting design research

whom I had the pleasure of crossing paths I

process. For truly challenging the way that

must also thank for adding to the holistically

I think about the world around me, and for

positive experience that was my time at

also — no pun intended — giving me space.

Ryerson University. This school is a truly

As one interested in the ontology of

attractive place to explore architecture.

time, I must thank my second reader, John

Lastly, the love and support of my

Cirka, giving up enough of his own for it to

family, friends and colleagues; for their

have significant meaning in my thesis. Many

understanding (or patient misunderstanding

a conversation regarding the nuances of

as I fumbled through my thoughts) and their

time and space, sound and matter were

willingness to both challenge and see me

had; conversations that I hope can continue

through to the finish.

ix

To my mother, whose voice I ďŹ rst did hear.

xi

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.

2.

3.

PROLOGUE

1

1.1

THE PROEMIAL QUESTION

1

1.2

FORM VS. SPACE

2

SOUND

9

2.1

SILENCE

9

2.2

PREGNANT WITH MEANING

11

2.3

THE DELICATE ART OF WAKING SOMNAMBULISTS

16

SHAPE 3.1

4.

5.

7.

23

33

4.1

THE ONTOLOGY OF SPACE

33

4.2

SONO-SOCIAL SPACE

42

(MIS)REPRESENTING SPACE

51

SILENT MODEL FOR AN URBAN SPACE

SOUNDSCAPES

51

191

6.1

SONIC MODEL FOR AN URBAN SPACE

191

6.2

THE DIN OF URBANITY

191

ECHOLOGUE 7.1

8.

9.

10.

GRAVITY, PARALLAX AND THE ILLUSION OF SPACE

SPACE

5.1

6.

23

195

THE REVERBERANT CONCLUSION

NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY LIST OF FIGURES

195

198 200 204

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SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

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xv

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

PROLOGUE

Nada Brahma “The universe is sound.”

– Ancient Sanskrit Chant

THE PROEMIAL QUESTION What is space? This is not something

the impetus for this work: to share an

we often ask ourselves on a daily basis, but it is

understanding of architectural space while

a question that we are constantly answering,

addressing the most important question

all the time, every second, whether we

of all: Is this even relevant? Assuredly, the

realize it or not. Before we continue any

answer to the question is an emphatic

further in addressing the ramifications of

“yes” when it comes to architecture. The

this simple question and statement, it must

remainder of this written and visual work will

be ensured that we are on the same page

be a humble attempt to make good on that

when speaking of certain things. Over the

assurance.

course of this architectural exploration some

The way that we think about space

seemingly heretical ideas concerning the

as architects is of critical importance,

definitions of form and space have been

because it engenders a particularly powerful

distilled, and as a result the terminology must

response to the way we approach the

be clarified for legibility’s sake. For instance,

design of buildings; a response which is

what do you envision when asked, “What is

currently lacking. One may even say that the

space?” How do you refer to it in everyday

addition of this spatial nuance to the already

interactions and conversations? How might

well-established modus operandi of formal

you refer to it architecturally? Likely, differing

architectural conception is the missing half

conclusions will be drawn when pondering

of its fragmented whole. But it all depends

these questions, and therein can be found

on our frames of reference. For those of us 1

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

already deeply engaged in praxis, which

The term so readily useful in fact that while

itself functions on a slightly different set

providing a powerful operative metaphor,

of rules and schedules than disciplinary

it has simultaneously lost its own meaning

engagements, this discussion may feel

altogether through sheer ubiquity. Much

unnecessary and cumbersome to the way

of this written work will be dedicated to a

things operate. For others, embedded in

radical re-conception of what ‘space’ even

architectural theory and discipline, it may

means and how it is to be understood. The

seem downright redundant. Why dredge

goal will be to establish a more attuned

up discussions of space? Is it not self-

understanding of space, because as hinted

explanatory? Architecture is about creating

at previously, it is inextricably linked with form

form, and is not space simply a by-product;

in a way that is often overlooked, relegated or

the ‘stuff’ left over when architects conceive

sadly misunderstood in architectural design.

of form? Although this may be true in one

But before saying any more on space, first

sense, it could not be further from the truth

what is meant by ‘form’ must be elucidated

in another. Questions concerning space

so that, in a manner, an understanding can

are of the utmost relevance to all strata of

be fashioned as to what space is not.

architecture, equally so to those questions

FORM VS. SPACE

concerning form. However, in the context of the discussion of this work, it is crucial

Form is stuff. It is matter. Typically,

that what is meant by ‘form’ and ‘space’ is

when we think of buildings we would say

each explicitly understood, because as will

that they have form; they are material. When

be shown, they may be somewhat contrary

conceiving and designing buildings, that

to our long held preconceptions.

is, performing acts of architecture, we also readings,

typically think in formal and material terms.

discussions with colleagues (and generally

We are concerned with light and shadow,

anyone who would lend an ear), it grew

shape, scale, and other formal aspects that

clearer over time that the word ‘space’ had

we can see with our eyes. Form, strictly

become embroiled in a metaphorical scandal

speaking, is only ever understood visually.

of sorts. In every instance, the question

It is important to distinguish that light is

would have to be posed or answered: “Wait,

the interpreter of form, as Le Corbusier

what do you mean by ‘space’?” It turns out

famously proclaimed: “Architecture is the

that ‘space’ is a very convenient metaphor

masterly, correct and magnificent play

for understanding the world around us.

of masses brought together in light. Our

Through

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

research,

2

eyes are made to see forms in light…”1 It

cubic units of space. But again, we would

is crucial that this distinction be weighed,

be incorrect. By measuring the void of the

because it sets up the basis for what

container we would still not have escaped

space is not, which in turn will assist in

a description that bears on ‘form’ or at the

determining what it is. Oftentimes, space is

very least of matter. The form of the room is

misconstrued with form, or rather as having

able to contain one-hundred cubic units of

formal qualities. For instance, we might

matter, in this case the gaseous compound

be standing in a room lit with natural light,

referred to as air. Physical metrics describe

our backs against one wall, looking toward

physicality. This is the problem of trying to

the other some distance away. Someone

attribute them to space: because space is

might ask us to describe the ‘space’, to

inherently and only ever metaphysical.

which we may reply: “That’s simple! It is

Space is nothing. It is not matter. In

between us and the far wall. A distance of

fact, it is a mentally constructed concept

about ten steps.” It may seem obvious that

by which we understand the physical

this distance and the openness between

reality around us, but it is never physical.

us and the walls should be described as

More: space is ontological. The goal of

space, but this would be incorrect. In actual

this thesis is to explicate this very idea;

fact, this would be describing the vectors

to explore the ontology of space, but in a

associated with the form of the room; the

uniquely sonic way. In a similar fashion that

length of floor between us and the opposing

light is the interpreter of form, it could be

wall. The ‘space’ metaphor, which is readily

said that sound is the interpreter of space.

applied as a kind of shorthand expression

Sound is the language of space. This may

for understanding the physicality of the

not seem readily apparent, especially since

room, is actually describing its form, and not

the ubiquity of ‘space’ as a metaphorical

its space. To illustrate it further, if someone

descriptor of our physical and social realities

were to ask us to measure the volume of the

has already begun to reconstitute the way

room, conventionally its ‘space’, we might

we think about it, but it will be shown herein

come up with some metrics to appease this

that space is purely understood through the

query. For the sake of argument, we could

medium of sound. The metaphor of ‘space’

say that the room’s volume was measured

can be seen in a vast array of (mis)usages:

to be one-hundred cubic units. Triumphantly,

from social, political, cyber, and intimate

we present our calculations, deeming that

spaces to cosmic, physical (i.e. Physics),

the room is indeed full of one-hundred

geographic, and mathematic (Euclidean 3

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

and Cartesian) spaces. It would be reckless

concerning the self-referential nature of using

to negate these as critical metaphors for

a spatial signifier (Euclidean or Cartesian

understanding our existence, however, it

space) as the substrate to understand the

is important to continually be reminded

very thing (space). For this reason, and

that they are strictly signifiers that stand for

in order to return to the aforementioned

physical realities and are not in themselves

‘radical’ understanding of space, some

physical,

and

effort will be made to extricate it from the

therefore cannot truly be spatial by definiton.

current Cartesian/Euclidean understanding,

Due to the prolific convenience of ‘space’ as

particularly as applied to architecture. A push

a metaphor, its own definition has become

of seemingly sluggish inertia will be made to

obfuscated in its own plethora of meanings

reformulate a spatial understanding that lies

and is therefore confused as being a thing

outside of space itself, which is formulated

that can be sensuously perceived; that is,

via the perception of sound. As will also be

as the medium within which objects are

shown in this work, the perception of sound

contained. However, this is not the case;

bears heavily on the human mode of being,

space can only ever be conceived. As an

or one may paraphrase: on the human

entity that cannot be sensed outright, space

conception of space. It will be argued

is never perceivable. The argument of this

that this very conception of space, which

work is to posit that it is instead sound that

occurs at the behest of sound as it reacts

is perceived, which then generates an array

with tectonic form, is also the very thing

of possible conceptions of space. Sound

responsible for how we exist socially and

shapes space. It is important to emphasize

individually in the world. The reformulation

again that space is never physical, meaning

of this ‘sono-spatial’ ontology will form

that a statement like “sound shapes space,”

the corollary for an architectural excursus

refers to sound as the instigative generator

that explores these ideas tectonically, and

of mentally constructed concepts qua

ultimately spatially. This approach will be

spaces, and not a form-finding method.

the logical route to readdress the ‘quantum

Traditionally, and prolifically, space has been

entanglement’ of space and form in the

understood by the extension of the human

most appropriate way; having pulled them

body (res extensa, à la Descartes) as it

apart as distinct, yet inextricably linked

moves and understands itself (res cogitans)

entities; as one, comprised of two. Herein

as an object within…space. However, this

resides the beauty of architecture: that it

widespread idea contains a furtive tautology

is the human expression of tectonic form

nor

sensuous

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

outright,

4

as the facilitator of conceptions of space, which are subsequently the modes by which humans exist individually and socially.

5

SEAN S E W. ROBB ROBBINS BINS SOUN ND | SHAPE SHAP HA HAP A E | SPACE SPAC SP P E SOUND

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

6

7

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

SOUND

Le silence éternel de ces espaces infinis m’effraie.

- Blaise Pascal, “Pensées”

SILENCE Silence and quietude are markedly

and subsequent life forms thereafter, inferring

different things. In Western thought, silence

an end to some previous silence, as it were.

is often attributed to death, or non-life. It

At the other pole of existence, in death, we

could be said that all of human existence

observe moments of silence, following the

falls between the ‘parentheses’ of silence;

suggestion of journalist Edward George

the bookends of human life. This is evinced

Honey (1855-1922), to respect and partake

in various ways through the fields of physics,

of a shared experience with those whose

theology and also in social practice of the

lives have fallen silent.1 For us, silence is a

memorial of the deceased. In the Judeo-

very profound and frightening condition, a

Christian tradition for example, the book of

type of existential mysterium tremendum

Genesis depicts the voice of God as that

that has even contoured the way we think

which ends silence and begins existence:

about space.

“And God said…” A similar creation story

When

Galileo’s

telescope

first

also exists in Hinduism through the phrase

suggested the infinity of cosmological

“Nada Brahma,” which translates as the

space, it elicited reactions like Pascal’s

voice or sound of Brahma, the god of

(depicted in the quote above), which

creation, giving rise to the world’s sustained

translates: “The eternal silence of these

existence. Similarly, women and men of

infinite spaces frightens me.” 2 It is true that

science refer to the Big Bang as being

sound does not travel in the vacuous dark

responsible for the genesis of the universe

matter of space, but it is perhaps more 9

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

interesting that the quality of ‘silence’ was

experience of silence is something terrifying

th

attributed to it by Pascal in the 17 Century,

to be avoided. For those of us that have

long before the discovery that it is sonically

the ability to sense sound, there is probably

mute. To attribute space as being something

only one way that we can come close to the

silent should be taken a step further though,

frightening experience of silence that Pascal

layering the two terms together more

attributed to the infinity of cosmological

closely. Let us temporarily shed our notions

space. Canadian composer and sound

of space as a physical thing (which will be

researcher R. Murray Shafer recounts an

discussed at length later, and hopefully held

experience like Pascal’s, which illustrates

permanently) and reverse the chronology

this further: “When one stays for a while in

as to which term informs which. Pascal

an anechoic chamber – that is, a completely

had originally layered a silent characteristic

soundproof room – one feels a little of the

onto the notion of cosmological space, but

same terror. One speaks and the sound

we should instead layer characteristics of

seems to drop from one’s lips to the floor.

space, in the ontological sense, onto the

The ears strain to pick up evidence that there

notion of silence. We must begin with silence

is still life in the world.”3 When composer

as the substrate to which concepts of space

and music theorist, John Cage, entered

are then applied. This approach appeases

such an anechoic chamber he made some

the original order with which both theology

interesting conclusions regarding silence as

and science concur, that silence comes

well. To his trained ear, Cage determined

first. This starting point aims a trajectory of

that there were in fact two different sounds

thinking about ‘space’ which will aid in its

present in the room, a high pitched one and

development as a subjective, ontological

a low pitched one. Upon describing them to

concept. It will be shown that the ontology

the sound engineer, it was determined that

of space is forged through the perception of

the high pitch was the sound of his nervous

the very thing that gives silence its existence

system and the low pitch was the sound of

through antithesis: sound.

blood flowing through his body.4 After this

Silence itself is very much an

experience, Cage proffered: “There is no

ontological concept; it is the dance partner of

such thing as silence. Something is always

space in this way. Unless one experiences a

happening that makes sound.”5 This reminds us again of the

total loss of the sense of hearing, silence can never be truly experienced. As an indicator

ontological

of death or non-life in Western thought, the

becomes a kind of unattainable condition

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

10

nature

of

silence,

which

outside of, but related to, existence. Silence

with the infinite nothingness of silence, he

becomes a relativistic descriptor that has

began to conceive of a very close, personally

no absolute; an idea that is very much open

lonely

to subjective interpretation, affecting us

space; one that caused men like Pascal

existentially. In this way it is again very similar

and Schafer to fearfully question the very

to space, itself an ontological descriptor of

evidence of life. Closeness to silence elicits

existence that is always interpreted and

a confining and oppressive personal space,

formulated

is

that is, a subjective, ontological concept of

the first condition in the layering order of

space, which then affects the very way that

these two metaphysical concepts, as was

we relate to our own existence. From this

discussed above. As the base substrate,

closest and most personal of positions, we

silence becomes a platform for subjective

can also branch out into the wider milieu of

conceptions of space to follow. It is here that

how the spectrum of sound, beginning with

the difference between silence and quietude

quietude, can affect the way that human

can be brought back into the discussion,

beings relate to one another socially. When

because the latter represents a foremost, yet

our conceived spaces begin to expand

relative, subjective interpretation of silence,

in scale and overlap, absorb or repel, like

which is often hard to distinguish. This is

bubbles and foam or concentric waves in a

perhaps what inspired Edgar Allen Poe to

pond — essentially when they interact — we

write in Al Aaraaf: “Quiet we call ‘Silence’ –

begin to describe the complex and nuanced

which is the merest word of all.” When Cage

ways that human socialization actually

experienced this quietude, whose curve

occurs as an intersubjective overlap, from

tends toward the infinite abyss of silence but

the most personally intimate to the most

never quite touches it, he also unwittingly

pandemonious.

subjectively.

But

silence

and

hence

existentially

terrible

formulated the conception of a spatial

PREGNANT WITH MEANING

ontology linked to the acute lack of sound — and it is perhaps the most fundamental

For every human being, silence is

condition of the conception of space. The

broken in the womb. “The auditory system

perception of quietude, or lack of sound,

of the fetus is fully functional about twenty

other than that of his body, generated a

weeks after conception.”6 It is the sense of

spatial conception so personally immediate

hearing that gives us our first awareness

that in Western thought it often evokes

of being. Neuroscientist, Daniel J. Levitin,

feelings of terror. By coming face-to-face

writes the following about our first aural 11

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

experiences in life:

This is quite distinct from the sense of sight,

You wake from a deep sleep and

one that does not occur until we leave the

open your eyes. It’s dark. The distant

womb, thus having no semblance of any

regular beating at the periphery of

reference to an ‘other’ until we emerge into

your hearing is still there. You rub your

the blinding brightness of the world. But this

eyes with your hands, but you cannot

sonic milieu, in and of itself, is not enough to

make out any shapes or forms. Time

truly form a relationship; it only acts as the

passes, but how long? …Then you

scaffold from which such a connection can

hear a different but recognizable

be made. Again, the key difference at this

sound – an amorphous, moving,

point is that hearing positions us receptively,

wiggly sound with fast beating, a

in reference to some other, whereas vision

pounding that you can feel in your

acts as a post-referential verifier. Hearing

feet. The sounds start and stop

establishes our first spatial perception in

without definition. Gradually building

relation to an ‘other,’ while vision verifies

up and dying down, they weave

what we already know to be true — that the

together with no clear beginnings or

other exists. Although, as Levitin describes

endings. The familiar sounds remain

above, that we engage in the hearing of

remote and muddled, as though

various sounds compounded together, our

you’re listening underwater.

7

first relationship cannot be made until we are able to distinguish those that have particular

This small description of the intrauterine

meaning versus those that simply comprise

state has some key aspects in it that should

the noise of the aural environment.

be pointed out. Foremost is that once non-

According to the late otorhino-

life breaks forth into life, our first perception

laryngologist and psycholinguist, Alfred

of it occurs at the behest of sound. It is our

Tomatis (1920-2001), communication is

first, post-silence, existential articulator. The

a process that begins in utero.8 In order

second important aspect is that this initial

for this to occur, the fetus must be able to

perception is characterized by a certain

make a distinction between simply hearing,

sense of otherness. Hearing is a receptive

and actively listening; what is also referred

and dialogical sense; one that very quickly

to as listening versus non-listening. German

establishes a framework for sociability. The

Philosopher, Peter Sloterdijk writes:

sounds being heard in the womb immediately reference an ‘other’ which is outside of it.

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

…there are impressive observations

12

showing that this early listening

from [our] waking perception.”11 Similarly,

ability does not result in the fetus

this active non-listening is paired with the

being passively at the mercy of the

act of conscious listening, which correlates

mother’s sonic inner life, or of the

meaning to those sounds that it expects will

water-filtered voices and noises of

grant it a certain sense of enlivenment. This

the outside world. Rather, the fetal

is the domain of neuroplastic development

ear already develops the ability to

that the fetus undergoes in the womb, but

find its bearing in its ever-present,

further to this, as Sloterdijk points out, “[in]

invasive sonic environment actively

listening closely, the ears carry out the primal

through independent, lively listening

act of the self; all later instances of ‘I can,’

9

‘I want’ or I come’ by necessity follow on

and non-listening.

from this first manifestation of spontaneous He goes on to cite Tomatis, who emphasizes

liveliness.”12 Aside from being a stimulator of

continually that the womb would be

early neurological development, the sono-

unbearable were it not for the ability of

social home of the womb is the impetus

the fetus to tune out large areas of noise

for the sense of self thereafter. It is only in

so that it can tune in to those which carry

reference to an ‘other’ (to which an ‘m’ should

relational meaning, such as the mother’s

be prefixed by now) and by communing with

own voice. “For the subject-to-be, only

it that we gain a sense of our own existence

those sounds which tell it that it is being

and subjectivity; we are being forged into

welcomed are themselves welcome.”10 It is

a social, relatable being with an individual

also important to note that the fetus does

persona, that can only develop because the

not selectively choose particular sounds

‘other’ is aurally accessible.

from its intrauterine environment by filtering

The type of communication present

those with meaning from the whole. Rather

in the womb is not one that can be echoed

it is characterized by the ability to non-

equally between the two parties though. One

listen, a skill at which adults are quite adept

is the receiver of sound, but cannot yet make

in reference to such sounds that might be

sounds of its own and so its posture must be

deemed background or ‘white-noise’. Our

that of the listener. “Up to this point, hearing

own ability to tune out bothersome noise

means an active anticipation of friendly

presences begins in the womb, which

messages.”13 This ‘anticipation of friendly

are “hence ‘posited’ as uninformative or

messages’ to which Sloterdijk speaks has a

indifferent,

direct link to the type of communication or

and

consequently

excluded 13

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

message being intentionally put forth by the

There is also physiology involved

mother, one of a happy welcome — of equal

in this process that breaks the above

anticipation. The form of communication is

discussion out of mere poetics. “Tomatis

one of a shared intentionality in which the

interpreted the mother’s entire body as a

fetus and mother form an audio-vocal pact.

musical instrument – albeit one that does

This means that the intentions of the happy

not serve to play a piece to the listener, but

messages of welcome from the mother’s

rather brings about the original tuning of

voice are the very things that generate the

the ear.”14 As it turns out the female skeletal

intentional listening of them. In this way,

structure is capable of transmitting high

the pre-subject is able to relate itself to

and extremely high frequencies through

something and begin its formation of self.

what would otherwise be a very blurred

Figure 1. Author’s depiction of the intrauterine sonic environment. A fetus is able to perceive sound at twenty weeks into gestation.

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

14

and bubbly sonic amalgam. The pelvis in

something crucial and foremost: memory.

particular, the only bone that differs between

Lamont’s experiment was comprised of

male and female skeletons, acts as a

mothers who would play a single piece of

resonant delivery device that is capable of

music to their babies on a repetitive basis for

sending the subtlest of vocal frequencies

the final three weeks of the gestation period.

directly to the place where the fetus rests

The amniotic fluid acted as a sonic filter in

its head. “This ear listens at the mother’s

this case, akin to listening to something

pelvic floor and spine as a curious visitor

under water, but nonetheless the music was

listens at a door behind which he suspects

audible. Along with the other daily sounds

delightful presents.”

15

Physiologically, the

such

as

conversations,

environmental

female body is set up to relay anticipatory

noises, as well as other music, one piece was

sonic information to the fetus that bypasses

singled out for each fetus to hear regularly.

the most accosting of womb-noises, directly

Upon birth, the piece was not played to

communicating a sense of relationship that

the infant again for another year. After this

is then re-communicated through the act

delay, it was then played in conjunction with

of anticipatory, active listening. The womb

another piece of music of similar tempo and

itself, our first plane of development and

style (e.g. classical and classical) in order

existence, is experienced sonically, socially

that a preference might be made on the

and spatially; it is our first ontological

basis of familiarity or affinity. To conduct the

conception of space.

final portion of the experiment, babies were

To quell any arguments that the above

placed on their mother’s lap between two

discussion may not be the case; that there

speakers that would play the piece from

is really no possibility for a communicative

before, as well as the new one. When looked

relationship or cognizance of perception,

at by the infant, each speaker would activate

as could perhaps be attested by the lack

its respective piece, causing the child to

of adult memory of this condition, we can

learn rapidly that it was in control of the

turn again to neurology. As discovered by

stimulus; the speaker it looked at would play

Alexandra Lamont of Keele University in

music. Lamont found in her experiments that

the UK, a fetus perceives music. This is

infants tended to look longer at the speaker

particularly interesting for reasons of cultural

that would play the piece they had heard in

affinity to certain musical styles, as well as

the womb, as opposed to the new unfamiliar

for the formations of subjectivity and self

piece. A control group of one-year-old

beginning in utero, but it also suggests

infants was also used to test whether the 15

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

particular pieces used had some form of

the way that human beings relate socially.

desirability beyond prenatal exposure, but it

The breaking of silence at the beginning of

was found that no preference was affirmed

human life is perhaps much more profound

by this group.

16

than we may initially realize.

The results of the above study

THE DELICATE ART OF WAKING SOMNAMBULISTS

force us to break with preconceptions of childhood amnesia and begin to suggest something very interesting. If we follow the

Do not make any loud noises,

logical assumption that the affinity towards

somnambulists should not be startled as it

a particularly familiar piece of music is a

may cause distress and disorientation; they

product of it being encoded into memory,

should be allowed to awaken on their own

then we can also move into the realm of

accord. This portion of the paper describes

cognizant, prenatal acoustic perception;

a sound installation that was created as

awareness. The purpose of following this line

part of the design research methodology

of thinking is really to further the argument

of this thesis. Being characteristically sonic,

that our first encounter with the world is also

there are no images to depict what it was,

our first formation of a spatial concept via

nor what its results were; only the following

sound. The womb, having the capacity to

description.

house a developing human body, also has

The goal of the installation was

the capacity to be perceived through the

to break with the usual visual bias of

medium of sound. It is this aural/spatial

architecture, taking the observer (or listener)

pairing which then allows the social aspect;

out of their comfort zone and forcing a

that of the communicative, which although

certain kind of attentiveness that is not

primarily achieved through receivership, is

usually aroused in building users. Rather

also actuated into the first form of human

than crafting an architectural object, the aim

socialization. To reiterate: the first space

was to craft a sonic and social architectural

we conceive is wrought through sonic and

experience. As discussed above, it is our

social characteristics. It all begins with

ability to hear that locates us socially in

sound, the hermeneutic by which spaces

the world, even from within our mothers’

and subsequently human sociability are

wombs. As the sounds used for the

firstly interpreted. We are left with a tight

installation reacted with the form and void of

intertwining of the sonic and spatial, which

the atrium in which they were played, it was

react within architectural form to contour

thought that they would begin to shape an

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

16

array of spatial characteristics. More simply

silence were employed strategically as a

put: sound would shape the space.

means of achieving Schafer’s “ear cleaning”

What does this mean? How does

technique, so that subsequent sounds

sound shape space? For this to make sense,

would catch building users off-guard and

let us delve further into the particular sounds

conjure a natural reaction to them. In truth,

that were used in the installation. They can

the installation ended up containing more

be classified by Schafer’s hi-fi and lo-fi types

silence than it did actual sound, but it was

of sounds. “The hi-fi soundscape is one in

found that these periods of calm had a

which discreet sounds can be heard clearly

profound impact on the way each sound

17

was then received, whether beginning or

Sounds like a baby giggling and cooing, a

ending. Each time the ‘somnambulists’

karate class shouting, a kitten meowing and

were coaxed awake by particular sounds,

a telephone ringing repeatedly were used in

they were allowed to recede back into their

this case. They were chosen because they

distracted state before being awakened

often elicit a direct reaction, and on top of

again by a different sound.

because of the low ambient noise level.”

this, being generally foreign to the indoor

Further to this, various anti-ocular

atrium, would be noticed immediately. Used

measures were employed to ensure that

in short bursts and rather sparingly each

sound sources were obscured from the visual

sound was then punctuated by ten minutes

field so that what was being heard could not

of silence so that the presence of the

be easily construed. The sound source was

installation would be forgotten by the time

installed overhead and covered in a black

the next sound played.

sheet as to be invisible to participants. The

The same thing was done with lo-fi

sounds.

“In

a

lo-fi

source was also aimed upward into the void

soundscape

of the atrium to make use of the complexity

individual acoustic signals are obscured

of

in an overdense population of sounds...

redirecting the sound and further obfuscating

18

its

inherent

acoustic

environment,

[or] broadband noise.” The din of a busy

its location. This proved successful, in that

city street corner, the pounding of rain on

people experiencing the exhibit (many of

a window, a babbling brook, many voices

whom were unaware that it was an exhibit)

talking at once, and the thrashing of the ocean

could not find the source of the sounds. In

were all used for the installation in an attempt

fact, on a number of occasions the sounds

to reshape how people using the atrium

caused by the building itself were confused

would (re)act. Again, ten-minute periods of

with those of the installation and vice versa, 17

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

such as the sound of running water through

was played at some length. The effect was a

exposed plumbing pipes.

general sense of calm, but more interesting

Sounds carry deep meaning, and

was the reaction when the sound ceased.

for this reason there were also ethical

Other constant lo-fi sounds, like the busy city

ramifications to the use of certain ones in

and the babbling brook had similar effects,

such a public installation. For example,

that when finally ceased, users became

alarms, sirens, crying, weaponry, crashes

hyper aware of the sounds inherent in the

and sounds of a sexual nature were all

building itself; they began to explore the

deemed unethical to be produced in this

atrium with their ears. Part of this process

particular setting. Due to the way sound is

was an awareness of the sounds given off

processed in the brain, having the ability

by their own voices, which became distinctly

to cause emotional or adrenal reactions

quieter as the lo-fi noise was cut off.

that cannot be controlled consciously, and

The

reason

these

reactions

especially since many users were unaware

are being described is that they began

of the presence of an installation, these

to convey something crucial that was

types of sounds were excluded.

hypothesized prior to the installation. When

Nonetheless

was

particular sounds were generated that

unexpectedly powerful. When the giggling

then propagated into and reacted with the

and cooing of a baby was heard, a kind

scale and tectonics of the atrium, they had

of happy and jovial space was collectively

markedly different outcomes in terms of

conceived and shared by many people

the way people within the atrium felt and

present. Others did not share this reaction,

subsequently acted, both at the individual

however, becoming rather confused as

and social levels. It lent some proof to the

to why a baby might be present in such a

assumption that sound could be utilized

place and where it actually was; almost a

to forge varying ontological spaces. Again,

sense of worry. When the telephone sound

this is not to refer to space in a physical or

was played, a general sense of unnerve was

tectonic sense as a kind of container, but

shared. That is to say that the space of the

in a metaphysical sense. Effectively, what

atrium became one of slight discomfort to

the installation demonstrated was that

reside in. Conversely, when the sound of

when sound and form collided, a particular

the ringing telephone was deemed to have

notion, or notions, of space could result.

finally stopped, a shared sense of relief was

The response was subjective, differing

felt. In another case, the surge of the ocean

among occupants, yet grouped into a

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

the

effect

18

limited number of categories that could

for architectural programmatic use, albeit

be shared intersubjectively. For example,

one that is much more contingent on sonic

some had positive reactions to the babbling

input as it is fed into architectonic form. This

brook, whereas others found it bothersome,

means that space, in architecture, is really

while others still were completely indifferent.

an emergent reading of the possibilities

The possible spaces that were conceived

of programmatic use, with sound as the

by users was also dependent on the type

catalytic variable. The equation is particularly

of sound that was used, whether hi-fi,

nuanced though, because when sound and

lo-fi, loud, minute, pregnant with cultural

form are considered together we can see

meaning or just general background noise.

that it is unclear which is the initial input or

To illustrate, the loud roar of city traffic that

output of their interaction. At the very least,

was played severely impeded the facility of

what this reciprocal relationship entails is that

communication among occupants, meaning

both elements are equally as important as

that they could not coordinate work or hold

their counterpart. A large edifice may have

simple conversations without some duress.

different acoustic properties than a small

The main takeaways from this aural

one; more: there are material differences to

installation were the potential states of

consider. On the other hand, sound types

awake-ness that the unwitting somnambulist

and decibel levels that interact with each

test subjects could experience through the

of these forms may change their spatial

deployment of various types of sounds.

readings entirely; that is, change what is

That is to say, at the risk of repeating,

deemed appropriate programmatic use. The

that sound (as it reacted with form)

dance between form and space is tangled

could shape (or cause) an intersubjective

and intimate. This conflation of space and

assortment of spaces to be conceived by

emergent program will be explicated further

the building users. These resulting spaces,

in a later chapter, but up to this point

which are themselves being argued in this

perhaps we are beginning to see that it is

paper as ontological, or having to do with

us, the architects, who have been walking

being, subsequently informed the building

asleep when it comes to space as a design

occupants as to how they might utilize the

outcome.

very building itself. Sound, plus form, equals space, which then equals what humans within it might do, and how they might do it. Here, we are essentially setting up a framework 19

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

20

21

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

SHAPE

Humans are beings that participate in spaces unknown to physics:…

- Peter Sloterdijk, “Bubbles”

GRAVITY, PARALLAX AND THE ILLUSION OF SPACE Since its inception in ancient Greece,

‘visible’, and more still that inhibit our paths

the notion of Euclidean space has contoured

and alter our movements on the planet’s

the very way that we think and live in our

surface. Things. It is from this common

world. It has informed physics, mathematics

surface that we have built an illusory concept

and even language in such a way that to even

which is collectively and readily understood

conceive of ‘space’ in any other terms seems

by virtue of the relationship of physical

almost impossible, even heretical. How

matter to other physical matter: the concept

would we understand void and emptiness;

of physical space. Whether it is your place

the immaterial or the absence of object? It

of seating at the dining table, the experience

is time that our long-held preconceptions of

of walking through the arcades of Greece,

space were challenged. In this chapter it will

or the observation of the relationship of the

be shown that what we typically conceive

earth to other celestial bodies, the idea of

of as physical ‘space’ is subtly, yet clearly,

physical space is always borne out of the

misguided.

same reference point: the relationship of

While grounded on our planet we

formal matter to the like. Physical space is

see and move with a particularly ‘human’

the concept most useful for understanding

reference point to everything that surrounds

this relationship, however the widespread

us. There are arrangements of matter that

usage of this concept has caused it to

reflect and refract a portion of the light

become confused as something actual,

spectrum in such a way that we call them

whereby physical space becomes a thing 23

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

to be beheld. Ironically though, by being

response, as Kant does state, but it is

conceptualized the idea of physical space

non-sequitur that the ‘ideal’ exists therein.

begins to shed its very physicality, instead

Perhaps there are points of commonality,

urging itself to return to the analogical. This

but the social milieu of human existences

hearkens Kant’s understanding of physical

defies any consensus, to which even the

space as a means of decoding the sensed

gamut of religious and political bents provide

external world in his Inaugural Dissertation of

easy allusion.

1770 in which he stated:

In the case of physical space, it can be said that the ‘fixed law’, to which

Space is not something objective

Kant refers, itself an objective entity, is

and real, neither substance, nor

that which binds all of humanity to its

accident, nor relation: but subjective

common surface-form: the experience and

and ideal, arising by fixed law from

perception of gravity. From the vantage of

the nature of the mind like an outline

being continually glued to the Earth, which

for the mutual co-ordination of all

itself becomes a form of background white-

external sensations whatsoever.

noise, mostly unheard and unperceived,

1

we gain the basis for a common ground Although very interesting, we find him stating

from which we approach the conception

two inherently opposed ideas concerning

of physical space. The problem with the

space. Although the idealism described in

formation of this concept is that it is not

Kant’s expression of space could be said to

conscious of the substrate upon which it is

manifest itself in a type of mental space, there

built, becoming the misguided attempt to

is a problem with the ‘subjective and ideal’

idealize, or objectify, the subjective. This is

relationship that he sets up. This conflation

evinced in the very phrase ‘physical space’,

of space as subjective and ideal stirs up a

effectively another way of saying ‘objective

dichotomy that renders any possibility for

subjectivity’ — a type of oxymoron.

the ideal to be muted. Through the lack

If we posit that the law of gravity,

of preconditions met in order to acheive a

fully understood or not, is representative of

singular consensus of subjectivities, another

Kant’s ‘fixed law’ by which originates the

way of saying objectivity or the ideal, we

mind’s conception of a physical space, how

can say that the ideal is impossible in this

then does it translate into this idealization

scenario. It is true that the conception of

of space as described by the likes of Euclid

space is always the result of subjective

and Déscartes? It is because the law of

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

24

gravity sets up conditions and arrangements

really be called the “first dimension”

of matter (objects), both cosmological and

rather than the “third”: that is, depth

terrestrial to which another misconception

is the most primordial dimension,

has been applied as to their apparent

not a ‘bonus’ dimension added to

relationship. The closest link to gravity, and

the other two.2

that of the largest scale, is the cosmological interpretation of the movement of celestial

For this problem to be surmounted, Morris

bodies in relationship to one another. By

surmises that an understanding of depth, via

observing the movement and locations

movement, is necessary in order to perceive

of

and

space. (As has already been mentioned,

philosophers alike have attributed these

there is a problem with this scenario in that

bodies to lie within some abstract medium

space is not something perceivable but

or ‘non-medium’ within which they move;

rather something to be conceived.) Further

that of ‘space’ in the astronomical sense.

to this is still the problem of tautology though:

It is an interpretation which has had

By understanding depth, the first dimension

pervasive social effects as to the way we

of space, we then understand the fullness

think about space everywhere else; as

of space? This argument cannot stand,

a medium simultaneously characterized

representing a symptomatic response to the

by the properties of a non-medium. This

presupposition of Euclidean and Cartesian

presupposition

of

space as the operative framework, which

cosmological space has created an easy

this paper seeks to debunk. How can

transition to that of the human body and its

we describe space with space? All that

movements in relation to other bodies on

Morris does is give one arbitrary Cartesian

the Earth’s surface.

spatial dimension more prominence than

stars

and

planets,

of

the

physicists

non-medium

As articulated by David Morris in The

the others. What he perhaps more rightly

Perception of Space, following the footsteps

describes by appealing to movement as

of Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Edward

the articulator of depth is a phenomenon

Casey, respectively, there arises the problem

derived from astronomy and the viewing of

of depth.

celestial bodies great distances away known as parallax.

For

Depth is what gives bodies volume

those

unfamiliar

with

this

in the first place, it is what makes

phenomenon, it can be illustrated quite

situations possible…depth should

simply. Imagine walking on a path through a 25

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

forest in which your field of vision comprises mostly tree trunks. As you move down this path, those trees which are closest to you will appear to move by faster than those more distant. The effect is a layering of objects whose visual relationship changes based on the movement through and beside them.

Parallax is also a common effect caused by the difference between a camera’s view finder and that which the aperture captures.

Even more simply, it can be experienced by

Figure 2. The Müller-Lyer illusion, depicting lines

viewing an object while closing one eye and

that appear to be different lengths although they are

alternating to the other back and forth; the

the same.

object’s placement will appear to move.

The effect of parallax is caused by

once having sensed space. It is an endless

depth in relation to different points of view.

loop. Our relative reference point to other

A moving body, whether human or celestial

bodies implicates itself by association of a

has a point of view that is constantly in flux

previously shared relationship. To call this an

in relation to other bodies, which causes the

understanding of space does not satisfy an

relative position of each body to physically,

escape from a simple, yet effective, illusion.

hence visually, change. Back in the forest,

Contrary to Morris (and Merleau-

do we perceive physical space based on

Ponty), it is not the movement of a body

the change in relative position of each tree

along some depth vector that articulates

to our own point of view; by experiencing

space, but is instead a positional relationship

movement and depth? Counter-intuitively,

of bodies to other bodies, which creates the

we actually do not. Space is not perceived

illusion of space. Here, we fall back on the

in this scenario, but rather simply relative

description of material form, and not space.

distance and position, or even a sense of

The phenomenon of parallax causes the

depth (as aggregate distances of objects),

illusion of space based on the perception of

but not space. Remember, we cannot

an object’s relative position to other objects.

use depth to understand space because

This phenomenon is sequitur to normative

of the cyclic logic employed, which would

ways of thinking about space, especially

find us returning again to a sense of depth

those of the Euclidean and Cartesian orders,

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

26

and if left as is can remain sequitur in their

that the perception of an illusion can never

closed system. But these notions of space

be untrue; that the illusion is the thing to be

are being challenged here; they are the

perceived. When his reasoning is applied to

results of an illusion.

the illusion of physical space however, this

Does the perception of an illusion

argument begins to break down.

render the thing being perceived somehow

Brought

alongside

the

Kantian

incorrect? Can perception be wrong?

understanding of space as a subjective non-

The idea of physical space being an

entity, the objective basis for understanding

illusion would undoubtedly be a point of

space encounters familiar problems of

contention for both Morris and Merleau-

idealism. Firstly, if one considers themselves

Ponty,

both

again as the subject walking through the

convey a subscription to the truthfulness

forest, the sole point of view, what happens

of perception even as it applies to illusions.

if other subjects are introduced onto the

They argue that perceiving an illusion has an

path; other points of view? Can we apply

considering

their

writings

inherent lability toward a ‘truthful’ outcome of sorts. What this means is that although illusive in terms of a definitive conclusion, an illusion still represents an inherent truth. The Müller-Lyer’s optical illusion provides a good example, which Merleau-Ponty himself refers to: It consists of two line segments of equal length whose ends are each terminated with inward-facing and outward-facing arrows.

The illusion is created by a warping of the original equal length of the segments, being perceived shorter and longer, respectively.

The argument that Morris attempts to

Figure 3. A typical (mis)representation of space in

make is that there is no objective basis

the Cartesian sense. The way we perceive objects

with which to compare the line segments,

as containing a void, like the dashed rectangle here,

and therefore, being in a closed system

causes us to spatialize what are strictly physical and

of comparison, there is no basis by which

formal relationships. Point Q has a physical/formal

to judge the illusory perception as being

relationship to the origin, not a spatial one. Is this

untrue. According to Morris, this means

image perhaps an optical illusion as well?

27

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

Morris’s illusion argument and say that there

bearings on form (not space), have been

is no objective basis by which to compare

misconstrued and subsequently generated

the forest to some other reality? This would

the illusion of physical space. These two

mean that no matter who perceives the

entities are, at the least, a start for the

‘space’ of the forest, each perception

objective bases that are required for Morris

would satisfy the reality of the forest, being

to break free of tautology.

inherently true or ‘objective’. Another way

If we carry the methodology of the

of framing this is that because we cannot

illusion further, we find that the inherent

leave the ‘space’ of the forest, we have

truthfulness of perception is present in the

no way of judging the truth or untruth of

objective physical phenomena (gravity and

our situation from outside, therefore each

parallax) that contribute to the misconception

individual perception of the forest remains

of space being physical. This does not

true. There is no other option; we are locked

necessarily mean that they give rise to

in the illusion. This is itself a bit of a magic

subsequent objective understandings, but

trick though. Sleight of hand on Morris’s

instead open up possibilities of interpretation.

part has allowed us to unwittingly conflate

To illustrate his point of a dynamic

objectivity and subjectivity as one entity; he

and changing, yet always truthful, perceptual

has rendered subjective spatial experience

reading of an illusion, Morris makes reference

invalid by deeming all interpretations valid.

to the Nekker cube. It is a very simple optical

However, this flies in the face of space being

illusion depicting the frame of a cube that

entirely a subjective conception. If physical

seems to recede into the page or jump out

space is an illusion, then Morris’s argument

from it depending on how it is perceived by

is satisfied, being in a closed system of

the viewer. His analogy begins to reverse

perception. But what we have discussed

its reasoning at this very point though,

is that this reasoning is cyclic, a proper

rather than containing a dynamic idealism,

understanding must come from outside the

or objectivism(s), the illusion actually elicits

thing itself. It is for this reason that gravity

multiple subjective readings: recession,

and then parallax have been introduced, as

jump, or no effect. This is where Morris has

a means of untangling the closed loop of

blurred or idealized subjective responses

the understanding of physical space. What

into a singular objective whole perhaps

has happened is that gravity and parallax

through sleight of hand. He has carried out

together, the ‘fixed law’ and its phenomenon

the Pledge and the Turn of his trick, but failed

through movement, which themselves have

to deliver the Prestige. In the same way that

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

28

Instead, defaulting to the description of form and matter — like the relationships of objects as described by the law of gravity and the phenomenon of parallax — the idea of physical space presents itself as a residual illusion of these formal/physical effects. It has been shown above that these notions actually describe something that is also predicated and developed on tautological reasoning; the reliance on a preconceived ‘spatial’ vector (depth) to Figure 4.

attempt an understanding of space itself.

The Nekker Cube illusion, which tends to

jump out, recede or look flat, used here to illustrate

Again, it must be stressed that space is

that one thing can be interpreted intersubjectively.

not physical, so any attempt to transpose it as such by other physical means does not

one can change one’s opinion on a matter,

make sense. It must also be emphasized

the illusion conjures differing subjective

again that space cannot be an idealized or

responses to itself. The effect is multiplied

objective ‘thing’ because this constitutes an

further as more people view the illusion and

ability to be perceived outright. This ability

add their experience of perception to the

acts reflexively, circling back, requiring that

mix. The social experience of the illusion

the thing being perceived is objective or ideal

generates a complex mixture of possible

or ‘true’ in the empiric sense, so that what it

combinations of perceptions, and although

is can actually be determined. However, this

there may be many in common, the result is

does not characterize space, which is both

a dynamic intersubjectivity.

ontologically and subjectively determined,

This plurally subjective reading of

not as some physical allusion, but as another

optical illusions can be appropriated back

mental concept entirely. Once we begin

to the illusion of physical space postulated

to understand that all of our idealized and

earlier, which supports the shedding of the

objective delineations of physical space are

idealized notions of Euclidean and Cartesian

generated as illusions by the perception of

space. Although they are extremely useful

formal and visual phenomena, we can then

means for understanding our world, they

begin to refashion a different way of thinking

actually fall short of describing space itself.

about space.

29

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RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

30

31

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

SPACE Unfortunately, any definition of architecture itself requires a prior analysis and exposition of the concept of space.

– Henri Lefebvre, “The Production of Space”

THE ONTOLOGY OF SPACE For

centuries,

millennia,

axiom begins to snap into focus, we must

questions concerning space have haunted

continue to dismantle our preconceptions

and entertained philosophers. There has

and normative ways of thinking about space.

been much thought put forth throughout

In the last section it was shown

history concerning ‘space’ and its many

that form has been confused with space,

manifestations

For

and an attempt was made to distinguish

the scope of this work, it is perhaps an

them so that the illusory nature of physical

insurmountable (and unnecessary) task to

space could be highlighted. This section will

fully encapsulate all ideologies and theories

continue the illusory demarcation of physical

and digest them into an easily conceivable

space, but will move into the realm of mental

holism, except perhaps by saying that space

space, continuing into social space. Much

is complicated. However, this does not need

reference will be made to the work of Henri

to be the case, and in fact it will be argued that

Lefebvre and Peter Sloterdijk, both recent

many of the stray tangents of spatial theory

and seminal spatial philosophers, with the

can be consolidated into a relatively concise,

goals of both critiquing and steering their

yet different, understanding wrought though

ideas to reconstruct a case for a spatial

the perception of sound. As the title of this

ontology in architecture predicated on

work suggests, ‘sound shapes space’. It

the perception of sound. This radical re-

could perhaps not be framed any more

conception of space will then be utilized in

simply — nor more vaguely. But before this

the next section to inform an application to

and

if

social

not

effects.

33

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

architectural design that re-establishes the

in the very way we conceive argument to

forgotten, insoluble partnership between

begin with. If our fundamental conception

form and space.

were to be something else like ‘Argument

Let us return again to metaphor.

is a Dance’, it would have drastic effects

George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, linguist

on the way arguments even occur. The

and philosopher, respectively, write: “The

interesting thing is how these established

essence of metaphor is understanding and

metaphors (conceptual systems) then begin

experiencing one kind of thing in terms of

to reshape the very way that we perceive

another.”1 As was discussed earlier in the

things, slanting our subjective responses to

prologue, ‘space’ has become a widely

other concepts. Lakoff and Johnson posit:

used, yet seldom recognized metaphor that we live by; a form of non-listened white-noise

Our concepts structure what we

that affects our entire human context. In a

perceive, how we get around in the

dizzying sweep of instances, from physical

world, and how we relate to other

space, political space, religious space,

people. Our conceptual system

geographic space, cyber space, virtual

thus plays a central role in defining

space, mathematical space, outer space,

our everyday realities. If we are right

inner space, open space, tight space,

in suggesting that our conceptual

public space, intimate space, shared space,

system is largely metaphorical,

personal space, head-space, exterior space,

then the way we think, what we

interior space, big space, small space,…ad

experience, and what we do every

nauseum, ‘space’ itself becomes one of the

day is very much a matter of

ways by which we understand the world. This

metaphor.2

is not something akin to space alone; the use of metaphor to comprehend and express

This begins to foreshadow why it

ideas can be seen in myriad other areas,

is important for architects to reconsider

to the point where we must concede that

the conceptual system by which they think

one of the primary ways we communicate,

about ‘space’. If we do not consider it,

understand and reciprocate is through

then we run the immediate risk of operating

metaphor. One such example discussed by

with disregard to that which “defines our

Lakoff and Johnson is the prolific operative

everyday realities,” as Lakoff and Johnson

metaphor ‘Argument is War’, which not only

suggest above. Arguably, this lapse in reality

manifests itself in the way we talk, but also

has already occurred in architecture as the

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

34

result of a disproportionate weight placed on

production: ‘spatial practice, representations

the importance of form, at the cost of space.

of space, and representational spaces.’3

It should be reasserted that this work seeks

The first, ‘spatial practice’ refers to our

to rebalance the scales of form and space,

unconscious social milieu, in what Lefebvre

via sound. They are inextricably linked in the

confusingly

following way: sound reacts with form to then

transposes as being ‘social practice’.4 This

inform conceptions of space. These spatial

is perhaps one example of many more that

conceptions then directly inform the way

characterizes a frustratingly prolific diffusion

we relate to ourselves and to others within

of ‘space’ as a concept; being stamped

architecture; or how we exist and what we

onto everything. In an act of convenience,

do. Space, interpreted via sound as it reacts

Lefebvre seems to transmute the word

with form, has a profound effect on our state

‘spatial’ for ‘social’ so that he can capture

of being, and it is for this reason that the idea

more in his net. It is this very act of misuse

of the ‘ontology of space’ is being urged.

of the metaphor of ‘Space as a Container’,

Space affects how we exist! This is why it

which sends us downhill, further and further

is important to understand it as architects.

away from dialectical clarity. Nonetheless,

However, the prolific metaphorical usages of

what he means by ‘spatial practice’ is the

‘space’ that were listed above have caused

collection of social, political, geographic

its meaning, on the whole, to become

and economic forces, that is, those that

diffuse and inarticulate; unreservedly useless

embrace production and reproduction, that

to architectural design. Rather than tackling

comprise the background conditions of daily

this deluge of metaphorical misusages,

life. “Like all social practice, spatial practice

though, it would perhaps be more prudent

is lived directly before it is conceptualized;

to examine some form of organizational

but the speculative primacy of the conceived

structure that groups common ideas of

over the lived causes practice to disappear

‘space’ into principally shared meanings,

along with life…”

instead of itemizations. For this we can turn

fades from cognizance, becoming the base

to Henri Lefebvre and his seminal work The

condition, or daily and urban realities, from

Production of Space.

which his next two key ideas, ‘representations

and

almost

5

immediately

Hence, spatial practice

Early on in his work, Lefebvre — being

of space’ and ‘representational spaces’

the proper Marxist that he was — distilled

are generated. The best way to categorize

three key ways of characterizing space very

‘spatial practice’ is as ‘physical’ space; a

much related to codified social modes of

kind of social scaffold.

35

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

‘Representations of space’ constitute

representations’, speaks of ‘inhabitants’

those things “…which are tied to the relations

and ‘users’ as they live directly through a

of production and to the ‘order’ which those

society’s symbols and signs. Simply put, it

relations impose, and hence to knowledge,

could be called ‘social’ space; that of art or

to signs, to codes, and to ‘frontal’ relations.”6

non-verbal symbolism. He posits this type of

What Lefebvre refers to here is the domain of

space as one that is passively experienced

“scientists, planners, urbanists, technocratic

and overlaid onto the ‘physical’ space of

subdividers and social engineers, as of

society. This is really a brilliant move on

a certain type of artist with a scientific

Lefebvre’s part because it forms a looped

7

bent.” These types are those that identify

connection from spaces of the physical, to

what is perceived with what is conceived;

the mental, to the social, then back to the

an idea which is the subject of critique for

physical, creating a coherent whole. He must

this paper, as discussed in part two. The

be lauded for magnetizing many of the stray

most readily attainable examples being

particles of spatial concepts into a concise

those of Euclidean and Cartesian space,

trinity, but he has really not given us any idea

which are a direct transposition of what is

of how space proper is to be understood

perceived into what is conceived. Think of

from here. Lefebvre does not elucidate

the three-dimensional vectors of the room

space, but uses it to elucidate everything

you are in, now mentally translate them into

else. This reflects back on the point made

mathematical language or the digital space

earlier regarding the prolific and ubiquitous

of a computer; consider which one informs

usage of space as a metaphorical concept.

the other. They have become linked in such

Upon delving into The Production

a way that the perception of one contours

of Space we come through with no clearer

the way we conceive of the other, and vice

understanding of what ‘space’ even is,

versa. Further to this, consider how the

but instead a very disorienting sandstorm

very idea of Cartesian space has extended

of types of ‘spaces’ strewn about his

to affect systems of verbal communication

framework. Although the spatial triad that

(metaphors) and the landscape of intellectual

Lefebvre leaves us with: physical, mental

signs. The simplest way to categorize

and social, does prove to be very useful for

Lefebvre’s ‘representations of space’, in his

explicating the complex realities of socio-

view the most dominant in society, would be

political production, it does not help us

to call them ‘mental’ space.

understand space as a clear, yet subjective,

Lefebvre’s

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

third

idea,

‘spatial

ontological concept.

36

We must dwell a bit further on this

us of our propensity to ‘spatialize’ visually

physical, mental, social triad. When it comes

perceived physical objects as they relate

to driving toward a clearer understanding

to others, such as chairs in a room. The

of the ontology of space, that is, how it

‘Space as Container’ metaphor that they

relates to being, as opposed to productions

describe becomes one of the ways we cull

of being, we must attempt to precipitate

visual information and make sense of it.

the three ingredients into something more

However, it is still not determinate as to how

solid. It should come as no surprise by now

this constitutes a physicality of space per

that sound will be used as the catalyst to

sé. It clearly does not — and this may prove

refine these elements; but first some further

to be a difficult preconception to get over,

critique.

or thought to be an act of splitting hairs —

We must be reminded of the position

but the fact remains that a space cannot be

of this thesis; that there is no such thing as

proven physical, only conceptualized, and

physical space. There is form and matter,

must therefore remain metaphysical. It should

and their interrelations with one another,

be noted that what Lefebvre classifies as

which at the very least conjures an illusion

physical space connotes political, economic

of space, but not space itself. To illustrate

and societal notions, whereas his framing

this again, we can come from the angle of

of them defies even physicality itself, relying

metaphor once more, and how our visual

on mental projections to codify physical

field manifests its perceptions of objects and

objects. For example, a physically abstracted

forms:

‘political’ reading of space as applied to the built manifestations of a political system’s

We conceptualize our visual field

power (architectural edifice), means that we

as a container and conceptualize

must already rely on preconceived ‘spatio-

what we see as being inside it…

political’ notions to then lend built edifices

The metaphor is a natural one that

their political signification. Lefebvre seems

emerges from the fact that, when

to presume a physical space existing in and

you look at some territory (land,

of itself, which is then identified as such by

floor space, etc.), your field of vision

other representational (mental) signs that

defines a boundary of the territory,

spawn from it, such as political power. In this case ‘physical space’ cannot exist in

8

namely the part that you can see.

its own right, because the physical/spatial Here, Lakoff and Johnson remind

conflation actually constitutes the projection 37

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

of a preconceived spatially contained idea

space via itself, through the spatialized

onto material forms; a kind of medium in

misinterpretation of our visual field and over-

which they reside. Lefebvre is using a spatial

amplification of socio-culturally ingrained

metaphor to describe something physical,

spatial metaphors. As was argued in

while recursively allowing the physical thing

“Gravity, Parallax and the Illusion of Space”

to dictate its own conceptual ‘spaceness’.

above, this does not follow a logical pattern.

This represents a paradox that cannot

In Euclid’s case, enveloped in the context of

lend support to either side of the equation.

the ancient Greek city, his observations of

Physical objects/forms do exist in this case,

this physical reality (perception) fashioned his

but physical ‘space’ here does not exist,

way of thinking about some kind of physical

and can therefore be subsumed into that of

representation of space (conception). The

the next strata: metal space.

trouble with this formulation is that it does

If

this

is

true,

that

space

is

not leave room for subjectivity in terms of

metaphysical, we can move on to Lefebvre’s

what is conceived.

next ‘mental’ classification of space, which

When we are speaking of space, the

brings us somewhat closer to Kant’s reading

perception of an objective physicality cannot

of it. Here we have some dangerous overlap

translate into an objective conception of it,

though, which perhaps merits a return to the

but instead the conceiving must be open to

illusionary. Lefebvre posits that this mental

an array of interpretations. This is the nature

space, which he calls ‘representations

of concepts: that they remain subjectively

of space’, is the identification of what is

derived through the community of human

perceived with that which is conceived. This

interpretation. Concepts must be able

idea actually makes sense and will be utilized

to change and be reinterpreted because

to suggest this very thing as the perception

when they fall into idealism they achieve an

of

conceptions

‘objective’ status that no longer renders them

of ontological space (space that affects

pliable qua subjective. The very etymology of

being). However, there is a distinction that

the word ‘objective’ contains its root ‘object’,

must be made: in Lefebvre’s case objective

which refers to a “tangible thing, something

perceptions seem to construct objective

perceived or presented to the senses.”9

conceptions. This has the propensity to

Oxford English Dictionary characterizes

generate

of

‘object’ from the medieval Latin objectum

space, for example, Euclidean space. It

which means a “thing presented to the

is also another cyclic understanding of

mind.”10 (Italics mine) The danger is when a

sound

feeds

idealized

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

potential

preconceptions

38

concept becomes idealized it then takes on

social space is like a cultural blanket that

the characteristics of an ‘object’, rendering it

is draped onto physical reality, and is the

then perceived or presented to the senses as

collection of images, symbols, and signs

objective reality. Mental concepts of space

through which we directly live. It is this social

that have become ideal notions, like those

space which Lefebvre loops back onto his

purported by Lefebvre and Euclid, lose their

idea of physical space (e.g. the built world)

conceptual, subjective, status and become

as we seek to change, appropriate and

solidified objective realities. This circumvents

utilize our system of non-verbal symbols

their very ‘conceptuality’, becoming new

and signs to construct it. If applied to

objects for us to perceive alongside Real

architecture, we could say that the social

physical matter. But, space is only ever

space (culture, values), as fed through

metaphysical, only ever conceptualized,

the mental space (physics, science), then

and must remain as such for it to matter

generates physical space (edifice, political

ontologically. Lefebvre has come quite

landscape), and finally comes full circle to re-

close here though, and this paper intends

inform the social space again via the cultural

to invoke his very idea that percepts inform

meaning of these productions. However, as

concepts. The difference herein is that the

we explore the looped nature of this triad, its

perception of sound (objective) informs

circle begins to grow tighter and tighter until

conceptions of space (subjective). This is

we are left with something that may in fact

contrary to what seems to happen when

be one, indistinguishable, singular idea.

the visual perception of objective reality

Let us remind ourselves that Lefebvre

translates into subsequent ideal or objective

is using the word ‘space’ like a sieve; a sifting

realities of space that defy conceptuality and

metaphor. This means that when he refers

hence subjectivity — i.e. Euclidean space.

to physical, mental or social ‘spaces’, he is

This idea will be expounded in the next

trying to catch certain socio-political, socio-

section, but first we must tackle Lefebvre’s

economic and socio-cultural sediments and

final classification, social space.

sift them into an organizational stratification

For Lefebvre, social space is what

that is more easily grasped. Although this is

he refers to as ‘representational space’;

useful for understanding the complexities

an extension of mental space that is

of our world, it breaks down when he tries

unconsciously, or passively, experienced.

to redeploy it as something containing the

He states that “[i]t overlays physical space,

ingredients to produce space. He means

making symbolic use of its objects.”11 This

this in the strictly Marxist sensibility, as a 39

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

40

41

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

breakdown of a society’s productive and

SONO-SOCIAL SPACE

consumptive forces; an analysis of what

Architecture

is

the

spatial

they are and how they can be reproduced. If

substrate of human social interactions and

all of these spaces (physical, mental, social)

relationships. Formally, it fundamentally

can be ‘(re)produced’, Lefebvre’s argument

and automatically assumes its role as

follows that we have the capacity to engage

a background condition that facilitates

in the production of space. This idea is

the interactions of all humankind. This is

intriguing in its own right, but perhaps more

manifest from the earliest vernacular of

so when applied to architecture in principle.

human shelter, through to the most colossal

This is not to say that architecture should

of contemporary built works; architecture

be used for the perpetuation or production

is for humans being. The ocularcentric

of political or economic ideologies — this

approach that architects employ to both

arguably already happens as a residual

design and representation is a gross

effect of social practice — but it can be

reduction of the potential for architecture to

used to suggest an avenue for the design of

connect with human beings in the full scope

space, in the ontological sense, as applied

of their senses and sensibilities. There are

to form and architecture. This is where the

other sensory avenues by which this visual

thesis of this paper begins to merge carefully

slant in architecture can be rebalanced, like

with Lefebvre’s ideas concerning space as a

the haptic, but it is only the aural that has the

metaphor/concept; we are both attempting

capacity to connect with us at our deepest

to speak of humanity in ontological terms (how

existential levels. In the same way that the

we exist) and are attempting to suggest that

unspoken mother/child communion in the

space can be produced or designed, even

womb begins the formation of the self, or

though we define space extremely differently.

the infinite screaming silence of the cosmos

Perhaps we could also say that Lefebvre is

stirs fear in us, sound facilitates a way in

concerned with over-arching socio-political

which we achieve a kind of dialogue with

forces in what he would call ‘social practice’,

the architectural creations we inhabit that

whereas this paper is concerned with social

the merely visual cannot achieve. Finnish

practice in a more banal, or perhaps focal

architect, Juhani Pallasmaa, writes in The

sense; of humans simply as they exist with

Eyes of the Skin:

other humans and their built edifices, and especially how conceptions of space affect

Sight

them existentially.

incorporates; vision is directional,

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

42

isolates,

whereas

sound

whereas sound is omni-directional.

than static material form might surround us.

The sense of sight implies exteriority,

This sense of location via sound becomes

but sound creates an experience

important to the discussion because it does

of interiority. I regard an object,

not necessarily refer to a physical type of

but sound approaches me; the

echolocation that can place us somewhere;

eye reaches, but the ear receives.

at least not in the discussion of this thesis.

Buildings do not react to our gaze,

For this we must extend Pallasmaa’s

but they do return our sounds back

physical description of sound as locator

to our ears.12 (Italics mine)

into spatially ontological terms. In order for this to make sense we must first also distinguish the ways in which we actually

The key idea that Pallasmaa has

are located within buildings, which come

expressed, is that “sound incorporates.”

as two simple relationships. They are the

Further to this, he frames sound in such

relationship between humans and buildings,

a way that it establishes a relationship

and the relationship between humans

between the person and the building; a

and humans within buildings. The latter is

type of unspoken, yet mutually listened

directly linked to the former, and is borne

dialogue between humans and architecture

out of it in a critical way. One could say that

akin to our common and originally inhabited

the relationship between humans and the

prototype: the womb. It is important to make

architectural edifice within which they locate

the distinction between the ways that the

themselves has a direct correlation to how

visual and the aural are perceived; Pallasmaa

they also relate to one another outwardly,

points out that vision is directional, while

and to themselves inwardly, that is to say

sound is omni-directional. In this way, the

socially, on the whole. What we hopefully

sense of hearing functions as the means

begin to see is that architecture is not strictly

by which we encase and arrange ourselves

experienced visually or formally, but equally

amidst each other, as if in bubbles that can

so sonically, socially, and spatially.

blend and overlap while remaining distinct

The social aspect is almost a given,

entities. More: sound as it reacts with

an umbrella that covers occurrences within

matter determines how we locate ourselves

both form and space, but the key difference

within the void of a built form, through the

is

interaction of sound as it reverberates and

spaces that we inhabit within architecture

surrounds us, in a markedly different manner

contour the very act of socialization itself.

43

that

the

intersubjective

ontological

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

This idea is more pronounced by space

artist, Katarzyna Krakowiak posited that:

(and sound) than it is by form (and light)

“...architecture becomes a subtle, invisible

because it is much more dynamic and apt

way of organizing our social life. Sound-

to emergence, change and chaos when

wise, walls, floors, ceilings, heating and

compared to the static nature of material

air-conditioning systems are all means of

edifice, whose iconography and original

connecting and transforming our social

built intent change at a much slower rate.

relations.”13 She infers that the simple

The space collectively conceived is bourne

banality of everyday sounds present in life

out of a sonic reaction with static form, but

lived through buildings have the ability to

it is still the thing more attuned to the social

both represent and reshape our social

dynamism of everyday life than is the rigid

codes; something that Schafer explicates

building in which the dynamism is able to

at length in his book The Soundscape. The

occur. Within an architectural edifice there

exhibit at the Polish pavilion drew on this idea,

exists an intersubjectively conceived space

utilizing the sounds inherent in the building

that is generated sonically and socially: a

and amplifying them back into the floors,

thing that will be described herein as ‘sono-

walls and ceilings. The title of the exhibit

social’ space.

“Making the Walls Quake as if they were for

Dilating with the Secret Knowledge of Great

‘Architecture’ as a discipline and practice

Powers” conveyed exactly what Krakoviak

that is swept up in the dogmatic visual

was able to achieve in her work. The noises

representation

techniques

generated by visitors of the pavilion and the

of its own craft. We must begin to

sounds of the building systems were played

question the efficacy of a staunchly visual

back to them in such a way that the edifice

approach to design, especially when the

itself literally ‘quaked’ and figuratively dilated

constructed end result of our designs

as the sounds changed dynamically. The

are not strictly experienced by the eyes.

effect was a rather strange one, whereby

Visual representation in architecture will be

the normative experience of patrons visiting

discussed later in this work, but for now we

an architectural exhibit was subverted to

must develop further the idea of the sono-

become one not of the visual consumption

social space of architecture.

of images and models, but instead of a

This

presents

and

a

problem

design

th

In her piece for the 13 International Architecture

Exhibition

at

the

collective aural experience whereby the

Venice

exhibit

Biennale, Polish pavilion curator and sound

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

consumed

them

instead.

The

approach, which inspired ‘The Delicate 44

Art of Waking Somnambulists’ discussed above, became a commentary on typical architectural exhibits which require visual consumption in order to be experienced.

There was no form as such, only an empty room filled with sound emanating from its periphery and users. The effect was that the space usually conceived within an architectural exhibit, and hence the behaviour of its visitors, was transformed; the way in which users might typically act in an exhibition space was changed by the type of sound present in the room.

To put this in specific terms, and perhaps describe the experience, we took very few pictures, we lay against the walls, we sat on the floor, we simply stood and listened. This is a drastically different way to experience an architectural exhibit, but

Figure 5. Inside the Polish pavilion at the 13th

more interestingly is one that is much more

Venice Biennale of Architecture experiencing the

akin to the way we might actually experience

quaking of the walls and general sonic environment.

architecture!

The full experience is impossible to properly

Krakowiak

was

able

to

exemplify the postulation of this thesis that

photograph, much like architecture itself.

sound is able to shape space. The only difference being that space herein is closely

This means that although sound is in fact the

correlated to social behavior; it is the thing

objective physical instigator, or catalyst, the

that determines it. On this point Krakowiak

perception of it is still able to be interpreted

and myself agree, and we have both been

subjectively. For example, in the case of the

able to affect normative social behaviour in

Polish pavilion, some visitors found the lack

different settings, but she attributes it in an

of anything typically found in an architectural

objectified manner, linearly from sound to

exhibit to be strange and boring, subscribing

social life, whereas this thesis pushes a step

to the subjective opinion that a room filled

further into the realm of the intersubjective.

merely with sound was not their cup of tea, 45

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

architecturally speaking. Conversely, other

sound interprets it. For various cultures or

visitors found the experience profoundly

upbringings, different sounds carry different

interesting, remaining in the room and

meaning for people and can therefore be

groping the walls to find points of strong

spatialized in different terms. For instance,

amplitude (quaking) and listening to the

does the bustle of a city conjure feelings of

various sonic effects present. Still others

home and a space of calm, or the opposite:

formed no critical opinion at all. This result

a sense of restlessness and fatigue? Since

connects back to earlier discussions of the

each interpretation of the sound is different,

perception of illusions and their objectiveness

but there is much room for shared readings,

being open to intersubjective interpretations.

we can say that the formation of sono-social

The corollary principle here being that the

space is indeed intersubjective.

perception of an objective thing, in this case

At this point it is worth reiterating that

the sounds of the pavilion and its users,

architecture plays a key role in the creation

leads those very users to varying subjective

of space because sound can be utilized as

conclusions, which we will call spaces, and

an ingredient that reacts with tectonic form,

hence leads them to act in various ways as

scale, and materiality for the intentional

a collective, qua social entity, based on the

generation of intersubjectively conceived

spaces conceived.

space as a design outcome. If this idea is

Krakowiak’s Polish pavilion is highly

carried further and aligned with the thesis

pertinent as an example because it amplifies

of this paper it means that architecture can

the idea that there is a dialogue between

be extended to the emergence of modes

humans and their buildings, which then

of existing (ways of living) whose outcomes

affects them intrinsically on a social level.

are a result of the discretion of architects

This effect is called space; a mentally and

who think carefully about how sound truly

yet unconsciously conceived posture that

affects humans as they inhabit the built

can change social practice. As sound

world. It is important also to reiterate that

specialist Julian Treasure notes: “Sound

this is not intended to fall at any point into

affects us physiologically, psychologically,

the objective, meaning that a space which

cognitively and behaviorally all the time.

has been designed cannot be intended to

The sound around us is affecting us even

cause some singlularly designed dogma of

14

though we’re not conscious of it.” Space

social praxis. That approach easily falls back

is then formed intersubjectively as each

into the strict and fallible notions that have

different person being affected by the

plagued modernist thinking in the past.

RYERSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2013

46

Rather, architecture postures itself contingently, perhaps even humbly as, yes, an objective, physical thing, but one that opens itself up to intersubjective possibilities via the inherent sono-social dynamism of everyday life reacting with architectural form.

Think back to the optical illusion discussed earlier. It is an objective thing that still allows the emergence of various subjective interpretations. Architecture can function in the same way, but unfortunately this seems to have been forgotten or forced upon form and vision by architects. We must reinject sound as a critical ingredient in the design of buildings — as an architectural essential — because it is the very thing responsible for the creation of space.

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(MIS)REPRESENTING SPACE ...a fact that we do not often think about or even realize, is that architecture is not building.

– Aaron Betsky, “Out There: Architecture Beyond Building”

SILENT MODEL FOR AN URBAN SPACE Images are mute. They do not

represent the breaking-down of a sequence

speak of architectural space. As a type of

through the building that was designed to

architectural representation they are only

explore this thesis work. They have been

able to convey form and its characteristics

included in this book for two reasons: the

— light, shadow, scale, material. This

first, is to appease our visual curiosities as

unfotunately constitutes a pastiche of

they relate to architectural form. Although

the potential for architectural expression

treated with fairly harsh criticism, it should

because it cannot articulate the other half

not be thought that the goal is to throw away

of the equation: space. To look at a plan,

visual representation, but merely to point out

section or rendering and point out a dining

that it has overstepped its bounds when it

space, for example, tells us absolutely

comes to space; thinking that it has domain

nothing about the dining space. Rather,

of expression over it. The second reason is

it tells us that there is a room in which it is

for juxtaposition. After having read through

thought dining could occur, and it is also a

the sequence of images in silence, you will

blatant misusage of the word space. Space

be invited to experience it together with

can only be articulated by sound, and

sound in the form of a soundscaped video

therefore to try and have a discussion about

on the internet. The difference should be

space while looking at an image becomes a

glaringly apparent as to the ability of sound

kind of irrational behaviour.

to express the architecture much more

The following timeline of images

holistically.

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It should be reiterated here that sound does not express space in a physical way. Sound is perceived in reaction and relation to architectural form, material, texture and scale, but space is not because it is metaphysical. This is a nuanced and subtle distinction that is often overlooked: that sound does not articulate physical space, but rather affects ontological spatial conceptions that we build in our minds and hence act upon, or feel through.

Please flip through the following pages and visually consume the images. You may find that at a certain point they undergo a change of value; initially interesting but subsequently vulgarized and meaningless.

This is intended, and is being done to force the architectural image, as such, into a meaningless state. This is perhaps more of parallel meta-critique going on outside the confines of this thesis, but it is also useful to set up a closer dichotomy (or juxtaposition) between a silent sequence of imagery that can be included in print, versus a multimedia representation that includes sonic expression, and to show how much is truly missing by ignoring sound as a tool for architectural representation.

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STACKS

READING ROOM

ENTRY PLAZA

LIBRARY LOBBY

FLOOR PLAN +1

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STACKS

READING ROOM BELOW

PLAZA BELOW

LIBRARY LOBBY BELOW

FLOOR PLAN +2

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ROOF PLAN

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COMPUTING

STACKS

COVERED PLAZA

TRANSIT LOBBY

VEST.

DN DN

LOUNGE

FLOOR PLAN 0

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LIGHT WELL

COMPUTING

STACKS

TRANSIT CONCOURSE

UP UP

DN DN

FLOOR PLAN -1

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OPEN TO BELOW

FLOOR PLAN -2 OPEN TO BELOW

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CONCOURSE EATERY

DN DN

DN DN

GALLERIA

UP UP

CAFE

BAR

FLOOR PLAN -3

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SUBWAY PLATFORM

FLOOR PLAN -4

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WEST ELEVATION

SOUTH ELEVATION 125

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SOUNDSCAPES For any of this to make sense, the “Sonic Model for an Urban Space” below must be watched and heard. Only then will one get a sense of sound’s ability to articulate space.

SONIC MODEL FOR AN URBAN SPACE https://vimeo.com/73831431 Forget everything you know about

The depth of field effect in this video

space being physical, instead think of it as

is meant to frustrate your visual faculties,

metaphysical, more: ontological - having

instead causing you to rely on your ears to

to do with ‘being’. When sound reacts

determine your architectural surroundings.

with tectonic form the result is an array of

At certain points a still image occurs with a

intersubjective conceptions of space, in

foreign sound to the original environment.

the ontological sense. How does thunder

These are attempts at causing you to

outside make you act or feel? How does a

formulate different ontological spaces within

serene and silent indoor space make you

you mind or subconscious. How do you feel

act or feel? How do your actions or feelings

when they occur? Do they reconstitute the

change when a strange or uneasy or out-

meaning of the building or cause it to become

of-place sound occurs? Architecture is the

ambiguous? Sound is a very powerful tool

social substrate for spaces to be built upon

that can be applied to architecture for the

and within, at the behest of the dynamic

intentional design of spaces that are able to

sonic environment.

affect humanity at an existential level.

THE DIN OF URBANITY https://vimeo.com/70886035 An initial sonic exploration.

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ECHOLOGUE

THE REVERBERANT CONCLUSION The impelling question posed at

aural environment such that it can affect

the beginning of this thesis simply will

spatial outcomes in the ontological sense.

not go away. It is indeed a question that

To reiterate, this means that architecture

echoes and reverberates constantly within

can change the way we exist — what we

and between the spheres of overlapping

do, how we feel — because it interacts

human existences. It is a question that we

with sound and humanity simultaneously to

subconsciously address every moment of

produce intersubjective spatial ontologies.

our lives, whether walking, talking, working,

This is another way of saying that sound

eating or sleeping; all social and individual

+ architecture = behaviour. The resultant

activities must inherently answer the question

behaviour is then open to liquid and

“what is space?” It also follows that the very

emergent possibilities based on a plethora

nature and contour of these activites are

of

shaped by sound. Recall that sound is the

values, sensibilties, and the unpredictable

thing that determines the outcome of space,

dynamism of sound itself as it is sifted

and therefore is an ingredient in how this

through them. In simple terms, this is a

question is resolved.

means of determining programmatic use;

factors

like

personal

upbringing,

As explicated earlier in this work,

albeit in the indeterminate sense as it relates

architecture has a very critical role in defining

to emergence. The question “what is space”

the way in which this existential question is

still remains a perpetual question, because

answered. It is the sounding board of the

the nature of ontological space is entirely 195

SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

flexible and contingent on sono-formal

types of uses of architecture by shaping the

interaction in architecture, and the individual

intersubjective formulations of ontological

and collective, that is, intersubjective,

space conceived by its inhabitants.

reponses of humans to this interaction.

The term ‘shape’ was used in a

The term ‘intersubjective’ was a

twofold manner in this work. First, it was

lynchpin for this work because it allowed

used as an alternative to the noun ‘form’; a

space to be interpreted ontologically. In order

word which has its own set of architectural

to escape the dogmatic physical paradox of

presumptions, but also is perhaps better

space as a type of non-object that yet has

used more commonly in written form as a

objective qualities, and to shift space into

general desriptor — as has just happened.

the metaphysical, it had to be framed as

The second usage of ‘shape’ was as a verb

being subjectively determined. It was also

to suggest the creation or generation or

observed that conceptions of ontological

‘shaping’ of ontological space through the

space

shared,

reaction of sound and form. This is how the

meaning that they could not be considered

title of this work came to be ‘sound shape

primarily subjective, but having the ability to

space’, and as mentioned is its thesis

be wrought socially as well as individually in

hidden in plain sight. Using the word in this

an interrelated or intersubjective way. For

twofold way caused it to become somewhat

instance, in a noisy restaurant, there may be

ambiguous, perhaps in a similar way to

a common thread of space conceived which

the expedient misuse of the word ‘space’

renders patrons comfortable, feeling part of

that instigated some of the original critical

the crowd and conversation. Conversely,

impetus for this exploration. Semiotics aside,

a space may be conceived by others that

the true purpose of the ‘shape’ section

causes them unease or detracts from

of this work was to untangle the notion of

their ability to relate in a certain way. Still

physical or objective space and reposition it

others may have a different reading entirely,

as an illusion. Having laid the groundwork of

perhaps uncomfortable, but apt to socialize.

physical space as an illusory concept, the

More, if the restaurant becomes suddenly

discussion could then move into space in

hushed, the types of spaces conceived

metaphysical terms. Speaking of illusions

change dramatically and therefore so do

and the metaphysical in the same breath

the appropriate usages and behaviours. The

is of course intellectually dangerous, but

point is that sound is a powerful catalyst

the section also points out a logical order,

that can affect dynamic change in the

in that the illusory or imaginary can actually

could

be

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and

196

reshape metaphysical understanding, as

spirit, so to speak. The reason it is so crucial

well as physical understanding to begin with.

is because it is the point when we first gain

This was evidenced by bringing metaphors

the sense of hearing some 20 weeks into

into the mix. The example of conceptualizing

gestation. The mother-child dialogue that

our visual field as a container was utilized to

takes place, although one-sided, is our first

show how visual phenomena like parallax,

act of intent listening and non-listening, and

when coupled with gravitational material

more critically is the point when we first

arrangement, causes us to see things as

begin the development of the self. In this

being somehow “in” some form of spatial

environment, sound is the first thing that

container. This illusion then fundamentally

contributes to affecting who we even are —

affects the way we think about space,

effectively the seed for allowing the eventual

as though it is physical in one sense, but

intersubjectivity of the reading of ontological

then also applicable as a metaphor for

space.

understanding other metaphysical ideas as

Now, having climbed our way back

being containable, like political space, social

out of the ideological quagmire that is this

space, cyberspace, etc.

thesis paper, we are left with the echo of

Prior to these discussions though,

the original question, “what is space?” The

the existential nature of sound and non-

intent now is not to leave off with some

sound were developed. This really formed

existential cliff-hanger, but rather to point

the basis for any existential discussion

out that this question is as intensely practical

whatsoever, framing silence as the most

to architecture as it is poetic. This simple

tremendous of existential conundrums.

question has sparked an exploration that

Silence is where we approach a terrifying

may never find its summit, but it has distilled

nothingness, or non-existence, and is also

some critical principles for the way that

the point from which any sound can exist by

architecture must be pursued henceforth. To

nature of antithesis. Sound as a kind of point

consciously pose this question constitutes a

of entry into somethingness, or existence,

way of thinking and designing architecture

moved the discussion into the prenatal

that goes deeper than mere formal exercise.

condition where humans first come to be.

By asking “what is space?” as it is rendered

The acoustics of our foremost

in the context of this thesis, architecture can

inhabited container, the womb, are very

move beyond itself, to not only the building

interesting. This is a place we collectively

of the physical world, but to the way in which

share, although not in physicality but in

humanity exists within it. — SR 197

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NOTES 1. INTRODUCTION 1.

Le Corbusier, Towards a New Architecture (New York: Dover Publications, 1931), 29.

2. SOUND 1.

R. Murray Schafer, The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment and the Tuning of the World (Rochester, VT: Destiny Books, 1994), 254.

2.

Blaise Pascal, Pascal’s Pensées (New York, E.P. Dutton, 1958), 61.

3.

Schafer, The Soundscape, p256.

4.

John Cage, Silence (Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1961), 8.

5.

Ibid., p.191

6.

Daniel J. Levitin, This is Your Brain on Music (New York: Plume, 2007), 223.

7.

Ibid.

8.

Joshua Leeds, The Power of Sound (Rochester: Inner Traditions, 2010)

9.

Peter Sloterdijk, Bubbles: Spheres I (Los Angeles: Semiotext(e), 2011), 501.

10.

Ibid., p. 503

11.

Ibid.

12.

Ibid.

13.

Ibid., p. 504

14.

Ibid., p. 507

15.

Ibid.

16.

Levitin, This is Your Brain on Music, 223-225.

17.

Schafer, The Soundscape, p43.

18.

Ibid.

3. SHAPE 1.

William J. Eckoff, Kant’s Inaugural Dissertation of 1770 (New York: Columbia College, 1894). 65.

2.

David Morris, The Perception of Space (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2004), 1.

3.

Ibid., p. 21

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4. SPACE 1.

George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, Metaphors We Live By (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980), 5.

2.

Ibid., p. 3

3.

Lefebvre, The Production of Space, 15

4.

Ibid., p. 34

5.

Ibid.

6.

Ibid., p. 33

7.

Ibid., p. 38

8.

Lakoff and Johnson, Metaphors We Live By, 30.

9.

“object (n),” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed April 1, 2013, http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=object

10.

Oxford Dictionaries, online, s.v. “object”

11.

Lefebvre, The Production of Space, 39

12.

Juhani Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin (Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2005), 49.

13.

Katarzyna Krakowiak, Making the Walls Quake... (Venice: 13th Venice Biennale of Architecture, 2012), 3.

14.

Julian Treasure, “Why architects need to use their ears.” TED video, 1:05, September 2012. http://www.ted.com/talks/ julian_treasure_why_architects_need_to_use_their_ears.html.

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Betsky, Aaron. Questions Concerning Architecture: Speculations on the Spectacle Out There. Vol. 1, in Out There: Architecture Beyond Building, edited by Aaron Betsky, 14-21. Marsilio, 2008.

Branzi, Andrea. Weak and Diffuse Modernity. Milan: Skira editore, 2006.

Cage, John. Silence. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1961.

Colomina, Beatriz. In Architectu-Re-Production, edited by Joan Ockman, 6-23. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1988.

Corbusier, Le. Towards a New Architecture. New York: Dover Publications, 1931.

Dondeti, Karthik. Yet Another Script. January 10, 2010. http://yetanotherscript.wordpress. com/2010/01/10/geometric-response-to-audio-real-time-grasshopper-version-1/ (accessed February 19, 2012).

Douglas Harper. “object (n).” Online Etymology Dictionary. 2012. http://www.etymonline.com/index. php?term=object (accessed April 1, 2013).

Eckoff, William J. Kant’s Inaugural Dissertation of 1770. Translated by William J. Eckoff. New York: Columbia College, 1894.

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Goldstein, Benlloyd. The Wave Lattice Approach to Synchronized Formal Proportion. 2010. http:// cymatica.net/ (accessed February 19, 2012).

Grant, Evan. Speakers Evan Grant: Creative technologist. 2009. http://www.ted.com/speakers/ evan_grant.html (accessed February 18, 2012).

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Janiak, Andrew. “Kant’s Views on Space and Time.” Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Edited

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Lakoff, George, and Mark Johnson. Metaphors We Live By. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1980.

Leeds, Joshua. The Power of Sound. 2. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions, 2010.

Lefebvre, Henri. The Production of Space. Translated by Donald Nicholson-Smith. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 1991.

Levitin, Daniel J. This is Your Brain on Music. New York: Plume, 2007.

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Ripley, Colin, Marco Polo, and Arthur Wrigglesworth, . In the Place of Sound: Architecture | Music | Acoustics. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2007.

Rollins, Peter. Insurrection. New York: Howard Books, 2011.

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SEAN W. ROBBINS SOUND | SHAPE | SPACE

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.

Author’s depiction of the intrauterine sonic environment. A fetus is able to perceive sound at twenty weeks into gestation.

Figure 2. The Müller-Lyer illusion, depicting lines that appear to be different lengths although they are the same.

Figure 3.

A typical (mis)representation of space in the Cartesian sense. The way we perceive objects as containing a void, like the dashed rectangle here, causes us to spatialize what are strictly physical and formal relationships. Point Q has a physical/formal relationship to the origin, not a spatial one. Is this image perhaps an optical illusion as well?

Figure 4.

The Nekker Cube illusion, which tends to jump out, recede or look flat, used here to illustrate that one thing can be interpreted intersubjectively.

Figure 5.

Inside the Polish pavilion at the 13th Venice Biennale of Architecture experiencing the quaking of the walls and general sonic environment. The full experience is impossible to properly photograph, much like architecture itself.

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© SEAN W. ROBBINS 2013