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MUSICAL ARCHITECTURE:
LAYERS OF SOUND & SPACE
Lynde R. Wismer
Architectural Design Thesis
Ball State University
© 2004 LRW

“Sound exists as a phenomenal presence involved in and
determining the shape of the world. It partially defines our
perceptual, emotional, spiritual and psychological spaces; and
contributes to our understanding of ourselves, our environment,
and our relationshipto each other.”
-Brandon LaBelle

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A special thanks to....
Andrew Seager [design studio professor]
Ana de Brea [thesis advisor]
Jeff Culp [thesis consultant]
I would also like to thank and show a great appreciation for my
family and friends who have encouraged me to become the best
that I can be throughout the past five years of architecture school.
Without yourinspiration, knowledge and understanding, this
thesis project as well as an academic career could not have been
possible.

Thank you!

MUSICAL ARCHITECTURE: LAYERS OF SOUND & SPACE

ARIA MUSIC CENTER

CONTENTS
4

Abstract

5

Issues & Positions

8

Project Description

9

Program Summary

10

Precedent Studies

12

Site Location & Analysis

16

Aria Music CenterDesign
Master Plan
Concept Diagrams
Early Organizational Studies
Resulting Floor Plan
Auditory Spine Sequence
Sound Sequence CD
The Composition Continues...

37

Reflections

38

Sources

MUSICAL ARCHITECTURE: LAYERS OF SOUND & SPACE

ARIA MUSIC CENTER

ABSTRACT
This thesis focuses on what I call musical architecture, specifically
the parallels between ideas of layering sound inspace. My goal
was to explore the physiological and the psychological
implications of designing space around aural perceptions to
create a harmonized sonic environment.
This thesis book is a compilation of two semesters worth of
research and development, which resulted in an architectural
design that focuses on a person’s auditory perception within space.
The project is a 170,000 sq.ft.year-round music school and
performance venue called Aria Music Center. This facility is
tailored to fit Aria Academy, an existing music program located in
Muncie that aims to provide an intensive and comprehensive
curriculum full of musical experiences.
The project site is within Eagle Creek Park, located in
Indianapolis, Indiana. Because the site is located within a quiet
area that istotally surrounded by the natural beauty of trees, varying
terrain and water, the idea of creating musical architecture with
layers of sound in space on this site fits well. The timbre (the
natural quality of sound) on this site will therefore be enhanced.

“THE IDEA IS TO CREATE A WORLD FOR THE AUDIENCE
TO ENTER WHERE ARCHITECTURE MAGNIFIES THE
EXPRESSIVE DIMENSIONS OF MUSIC AND SOUND.”-ELIZABETH MARTIN

MUSICAL ARCHITECTURE: LAYERS OF SOUND & SPACE

ARIA MUSIC CENTER

4

ISSUES & POSITIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Music is a complex organization of sounds harmonizing together
to produce a single composition. Similarly, architecture is a
complex yet harmonious organization of space (Storr 2). Out of
thefive senses that human beings possess, vision is typically the
most developed, while hearing is one of the least. Because of the
visual-oriented environment we live in, we naturally pay less
attention to sound and take it for granted. The ability to hear a
diverse range of sounds is without a doubt one of the most
enriching dimensions to human life. Sounds are experienced 360
degrees around us24 hours a day, although not visible, but nevertheless present. Sound can bridge distances in time and space,
expressed through countless individual layers of information and
design to produce compositions, therefore having a firm hold over
our emotional makeup. Sound is invisible, but has the power to
change the character of the space we occupy (Schulz-Dornburg).
This thesis focuses on...