The sound of space in 3 robotic prototypes: Introducing 6-axis robotic fabrication to shape macro- and micro-geometries for acoustic performance

Sound performance plays a significant role in the experience of space. The- atre and performance spaces provide a context where acoustic and spatiotempo- ral characteristics can be informed through the controlled robotic fabrication of macro- and micro-geometries, by using mathematical principles as a driver for design variations and machine code. This essay discusses a short history of relationships between sound and ge- ometry; from acoustic reflection methods (Kircher, 1673); to a theatre seating matrix (Saunders, 1790); to positioning of individual listeners and their specific acoustic environments (Russel 1883); to sound concentrations in spherical shapes (Cremer, 1982, Vercammen, 2012); to current strategies for acoustically perfor- mative scattering surfaces (Reinhardt, 2012, 2015). The essay further introduces empirical research into robotic prototypes that test the acoustic effects of complex architectural geometries, with a focus on ro- botic fabrication of macro geometries that change the colouration of sound; and micro-geometric surfaces that can be applied to improve acoustic performance by scattering. It presents a 6-axis fabrication process for acoustic scale prototypes, based on a range of mathematical equations that regulate physical properties of spatial surfaces and pattern details. Here, generative tools and robotic tooling pro- cesses are linked to the angle and cavity depth in a surface medium. The essay concludes with a discussion and an outline of future strategies for the acoustic performance in multi-talker work environments or daily life scenarios.

___

Cremer, L. and Mueller, L. (1982). Principles and Applications of Room Acoustics. Applied Science, New York. Blesser, B. and Salter, L. (2007). Spaces Speak, Are You Listening? Experiencing Aural Architecture. Cambridge: MIT, 70.

Bonwetsch, T., Baertschi, R. and Oesterle, S (2008). ‘Adding Performance Criteria to Digital Fabrication Room-Acoustical Information of Diffuse Respondent Panels’. Acadia Conference Proceedings, Non-Stan- dard Production Techniques Tools, Techniques and Technologies-Adding Performance Criteria to Digital Fabrication, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 364–369.

Burry, J., Davis, D., Peters, B., Ayres, P., Klein, J., Pena de Leon, A. and Burry, M. (2011). ‘Modelling Hyperboloid Sound Scattering: The Challenge of Simulating, Fabricating and Measuring’. In Gengnagel, C, Kilian, A, Palz, N and Scheurer, F (eds), Modelling Symposium. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 89–96.

Cox, T. and D’Antonio, P. (2009). Acoustic Absorbers and Diffusers: Theory, Design, and Application. Lon- don: Taylor & Francis.

Dalenbäck, B.I., Kleiner, M., and Svensson, P. (1993). ‘Audibility of Changes in Geometric Shape, Source Directivity, and Absorptive Treatment - Experiments in Auralization’. Journal of the Audio Engineering Society 41(11), 905-913.

Forsythe, W. (1985), ‚Choreograph- ic Objects’. Frankfurt: Forsythe Com- pany. http://www.williamforsythe.de/ essay.html.

Keating, S. and Oxman, N. (2012). ‘Robotic Immaterial Fabrication’. In Brell-Cokcan, S., Braumann, J.(eds) Rob|Arch 2012: Robotic Fabrication in Architecture, Art And Design. Wien, New York: Springer.

Kircher, A (1620). Phonurgia Nova. Reprint (1970). Hildesheim: Olms. https://monoskop.org/File:Kircher_ Athanasius_Phonurgia_nova.pdf Knudsen, V.O. (1932). Architectur- al Acoustics. New York: John Wiley Academy.

Kolarevic, B (2005). Performative Architecture- Beyond Instrumentality. New York: Spon Press.

Langhans, C F (1810). Ueber Theater oder Bemerkungen ueber Katakustik in Beziehung auf Theater. Berlin: Julius Eduard Hitzig.

Pelletier, P (2006). Architecture in Words: Theatre, Language and the Sen- suous Space of Architecture. London: Routledge.

Peters, B: 2010, ‘Acoustic Perfor- mance as a Design Driver: Sound Sim- ulation and Parametric Modeling us- ing SmartGeometry,’ in International Journal of Architectural Computing, No 3, Vol 8.

Peters, B. and Olesen, T. (2010). ‘ Integrating Sound Scattering Measure- ments in the Design of Complex Ar- chitectural Surfaces -Informing a para- metric design strategy with acoustic measurements from rapid prototype scale models’. ECAADE 28 Proceed- ings.

Rasmussen, S E (1964). Experienc- ing Architecture. Yale: MIT Press. Reinhardt, D, Cabrera, D and Hunt- er, M (2017). A Mathematical Model Linking Form and Material for Sound Scattering - design, robotic fabrication, and evaluation of sound scattering discs: relating surface form to acous- tic performance. Çağdaş, G, Özkar, M, Gül, F, Gürer, E (eds.), Future Trajec- tories of Computation in Design, 17th International Conference, CAAD Fu- tures 2017, Istanbul, Conference Pro- ceedings, pp. 150-163.

Reinhardt, D and Cabrera, D (2017). Randomness in Robotically Fabri- cated Micro-Acoustic Patterns. Jans- sen, P, Loh, Raonic, A Schnabel, MA (eds.). Protocols, Flows and Glitches, Proceedings of the 22nd Internation- al Conference of the Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA) 2017, Hong Kong.

Reinhardt, D, Cabrera, D, Jung, A (2016). Towards a Micro Design of Acoustic Surfaces - Robotic Fabrica- tion of Complex Pattern Geometries.

Reinhardt, D, Burry, J, Saunders, R, (eds.) (2015), Robotic Fabrication in Architecture, Art and Design 2016, Springer International Publishing Switzerland, pp. 136-149. Reinhardt, D, Martens, W, Miranda,

L (2012). Acoustic Consequences of Performative Structures - Modelling Dependencies between Spatial Forma- tion and Acoustic Behaviour. Achten, H, Pavlicek, J, Jaroslav, H, Matejdan, D (eds.). Digital Physicality - Proceed- ings of the 30th eCAADe Conference - Volume 1 / ISBN 978-9-4912070-2-0,

Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Architecture (Czech Repub- lic) 12-14 September 2012, pp. 577- 586.ISBN:978-9-4912070-3-7.

Russell, R. (1838). ‘Treatise on Sightlines’. Edinburgh New Philosoph- ical Journal 27. In Forsyth, M. (1985). Buildings for Music. Cambridge: MIT Press, 236.

Saunders, G (1790). A Treatise on Theatre. London: Taylor.

Sabine, W. C. (1964). Collected Pa- pers on Acoustics. New York: Dover.

Schroeder, M. R. (1979). ‘Binaural Dissimilarity And Optimum Ceilings for concert halls: More lateral sound diffusion’. Journal of the Acoustical So- ciety of America 65(40), 958-963.

Schroeder, M. R (1975). Diffuse sound reflection by maximum− length sequences. The Journal of the Acousti- cal Society of America, 57(1), 149-150.

Williams, N., Davis, D., Peters, B., De Leon, AP., Burry, J., Burry, M. (2013). ‘FABPOD: an open design-to- fabrication system’. In Stouffs, R., Jans- sen, P., Roudavski, S., Tunçer, B. (eds). Open Systems. CAADRIA, 251–260.

Vercammen, M. (2012). Sound Con- centration caused by Curved Surfaces. Eindhoven: University of Technology, Eindhoven,The Netherlands. Issue 163 Bouwstenen series, 4.

Vorländer, M. (2008). Auralization: Fundamentals of Acoustics, Modeling, Simulation, Algorithms And Acoustic Virtual Reality. New York: Springer.