Buildings as instruments of sounds

-Lo Tien Yin

ON A quiet weekend, you can catch the rumble of traffic as far away as Pasir Panjang Distripark – at Sound Journey, a “sound pavilion” perched on a mound at the NUS School of Design and Environment. Strangely enough, the traffic sounds have a musical lilt to it.

LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN: Thrilled participants at the sound pavilion.

Sound Journey is the name of the pavilion designed and built by four Year-2 Architecture students. The pavilion captures and differentiates sounds from the campus as well as surrounding areas. It won top prize out of more than 50 architectural models which are based on this “sound concept” in a recent exhibition at the School.

The exercise in capturing sounds through architecture is part of a six-week workshop – a collaboration with renowned Belgian sound sculptor, Professor Baudouin Oosterlynck and Dr Robert Casteels, Artistic Director and Resident Conductor of The Philharmonic Winds. Professor Oosterlynck has traipsed all over Europe looking for places with “qualitative silences” for his research. The professor believes that surrounding silences affect sound production and listening. Dr Casteels who composes musical works often featuring an eclectic mix of instruments, composed an arrangement which was performed at Sound Journey during the launch.

NOVEL SOUNDS: Mr Marc Calcoen (left), Belgian Ambassador to Singapore and Vice Provost Professor Lai Choy Heng listening to intriguing sounds produced by Professor Baudouin Oosterlynck (centre).

Professor Heng Chye Kiang, Head, Department of Architecture speaking at the launch, said that architects usually deal with sounds as a form of nuisance and buildings are designed to keep them off rather than to capture them. The workshop hence offers a rare opportunity for would-be architects to try their hands on a novel kind of architecture, discarding preconceptions.

Said Adeline, a member of the winning team: “In the real world, this form of architecture can be applied to a shopping mall for example. People walking from one segment of the mall to another, can be entertained to different sounds from the natural environment, complementing the ambience at different shopping locations.”

Mr Neo Sei Hwa, of TENarchitects, a guest lecturer at the Department of Architecture commented: “Modern architecture doesn’t have the acoustic edge. But some cathedrals for example, are designed to enforce certain sound qualities, which is why a choir sounds heavenly in a cathedral.”