Why not?

Making my own "man"

After modelling half of my new shape, I decided to cut out the shape of a man. If there is a person standing in front of this spot, there's no reason for there to be acoustic material. It also gives some lightness (literally and figuratively) to this shape.

Please Leave a Light on When You Go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyf1ad0zvvM

My favorite interpretation I've seen of the Beck Song Reader. Song by John Alexander. Video: "The Maker" by Zealous Creative."

Moving on... again

When talking to Professor Nowak, he asked an important question about my current design: "Is this a more a circle or a square?" My answer was that it's trying to be a circle, but it looks more like a square. After more discussion, I realized that if it's trying to be a circle, I should probably make it into a circle. He and I came up with a shape that would hopefully perform well, while being more structurally efficient (or structurally efficient at ALL, seeing as the other one probably would have collapsed on the first person that stepped inside). This design will also save on materials and be easier to put together (and take apart when it comes time to move it).

I will use 4x8 pieces of plywood for the four sides, held together with rods for support. I will drill additional holes into these four panels so air can pass through and this whole thing won't blow away. I will then use a thinner, cheaper material to line the inside.

I figured I should also shift my existing diagram into this shape to see if it will work the same way.

My next step is to create a diagram from a plan view, to see how sound will disperse horizontally. I also want to take a more creative look at this shape to see if I can add in some of the playfulness that is so apparent in Beck's Song Reader.

The Acoustic Hat

Professor Nowak sporting my design.

Building this thing

Construction is a tad out of my comfort zone, so I decided to make a 1"=1'-0" scale model to familiarize myself with how this thing could go together. An 8" chip board model is obviously very different from an 8'-0" wood model, but this process helped me to understand the size, shape, and stability of these pieces as they fit together.

Model process

Reality

After creating my flat-plane shape, I realized that I needed to have more explanation behind this idea. In performing arts centers, flat planes are used instead of curves because it's cheaper to build that way. But also.. you can use flat planes to control where the sound goes. I am no acoustician, but I wanted to see if my idea made sense in a functional way.

I made this diagram to explain how sound might move within the space. It graphically shows how the female's voice might travel and how the sound would reach both her and the male within the space. 

Next, I had to face reality about the type of materials I'm hoping to use. I would like to build my shell out of wood, seeing as it would lend itself to this shape and it also has good acoustic properties. Unfortunately, large sheets of wood tend to be pretty expensive. I decided to play around with my shape and see if I could find something that would share the qualities of the diagram above while requiring less material.

smaller shell = less wood = less money = happy grad student

I also ventured onto Craigslist to see if I could find free scrap wood. By mixing the species and finishes of wood, I think this shell could become something that is aesthetically pleasing, as well as functional.


And even if this thing doesn't work, I can use it as a hat for my cat

Source: beemelon.com

Next step

After realizing that I was worrying way too much about this thing being "pretty," I tried a practical approach. I did a lot more research on vocal acoustics to try to figure out the shapes that would make the most sense. This took me in an entirely different direction...

This diagram inspired the idea to look at flat planes instead of curves

Source: archinect.com

The shape wasn't the only thing I had to re-think. I mentioned early on that I wanted this to function for one or two people. That meant I needed to create something that would work from multiple sides.

Symmetrical shell with flat planes

My next goal is to explore deeper: Are the openings necessary for convenience of use? Does it make more sense for it to be entirely enclosed? How big is it? What is it made out of? Am I implementing a recording device? Only time will tell..

The beginning

I grew up loving music and spent more than half of my life thinking that I would make a career out of it. Whether I played piano, sang, or taught, I knew I would always surround myself with music. In college, my life started to take a different direction, but I took the time to sing in the University choir. Even without the typical theory classes that most of these musicians took, I gained a deeper understanding of the circumstances in which my voice sounded best. I recognized certain spaces that would work for my voice, but I never understood the science behind why it worked. Now I have to opportunity to merge my two loves: music and architecture.  I hope to take the concept of a typical acoustical shell and take it down to a personal, more intimate scale. I want to create a shape that can be used for one or two performers. My hope is to create a space that will highlight the voice of anyone that uses it, allowing for a better experience for the performer and the audience.

The first step was to learn the music. Beck's unique pieces created a great deal of inspiration: a great starting point.

Next I looked for examples of creative acoustic shells. I wanted to learn about what works now before trying to create something new.

Source: www.etnow.com

Concept sketches

Concept sketch overlaying a diagram of human vocal production anatomy