︎ Sound Laboratory ︎
Date: 2016.12 - 2017.05
Site: Shanghai
Type: Bachelor Thesis / Individual
Supervisor: Claudia Westermann & Alexandran Raonic
Site: Shanghai
Type: Bachelor Thesis / Individual
Supervisor: Claudia Westermann & Alexandran Raonic
︎ Introduction
The studio brief regards Cedric Price’s Fun Palace as the case, then inquires its potential representations in contemporary context. The long-lasting research phase included theoretical literature review, case studies analysis, artwork translation and site research. At the design stage, large amounts of physical models were made for spatial explorations. The design process was a combination of rational deductions and sentimental creations.The project was entitled ‘Sound Laboratory’, which will serve as an interactive theater and exhibition space for experimental music performance and musical installations. Inspired by Cedric Price’s political statement of democracy and eliminating class differences, it challenged typical top-down functional decisions in architecture, replacing them by spontaneous indeterminate scenarios. It also abandoned basic architectural elements like ‘typical floor’, ‘vertical facade’, ‘roof’, ‘windows’, converting them as continuous exterior envelopes and ambiguous interior space.
︎Artwork - 4’33’’ by John Cage
4’33’’ is the music score written by John Cage to capture the concept of “silence”. The original score is 3 parts only including the word “TACET”. “TACET” is different from blank or rest. It indicates continued silence. In the performance, the player did nothing but indicated the beginning and end of each phase. However, as John Cage stated, “there will never be silence”, the performance set a frame to arouse indeterminate environmental sounds as the protagonist. In the artwork translation, 4’33’’ is performed on the site as a method to understand site conditions.︎ SITE Research - Performance + Model + Graphic Score
As a sensory approach to site analysis, 4’33’’ is performed on the site several times in different locations and time periods. The results were recordings of the performance including indeterminate ‘environmental sounds’, which can reflect scenarios happened on site in different situations. For instance, there are sounds of birds, boats and waves near the river. While on the other side of site, there are sounds of traffic and people’s chatting. In daytime, there are composition of sounds from everywhere of human activities. Whereas at night, only mechanical sounds of construction far away and natural sounds can be heard.
Performing 4’33’’ on SITEAfterwards these recordings are translated to graphical scores, as John Cage’s methods of capturing indeterminate music. They are also translated to physical models, indicating scenarios, their locations and their spatial qualities.
Model from the Performance
Historical Site
The site analysis focuses on historical events happended along Huangpu River around the site then representing scenarios by transforming their sounds and spatial experience into graphical score and physical models (see model page). These scenarios of sounds include songs of dockmen, sound of spinning machine in textile mill, sound of carrying goods on float crane, sound of whisper of lovers and birds along the Lover’s Bund. These scenarios made Huangpu River lively like a piece of indeterminate music.
The site analysis focuses on historical events happended along Huangpu River around the site then representing scenarios by transforming their sounds and spatial experience into graphical score and physical models (see model page). These scenarios of sounds include songs of dockmen, sound of spinning machine in textile mill, sound of carrying goods on float crane, sound of whisper of lovers and birds along the Lover’s Bund. These scenarios made Huangpu River lively like a piece of indeterminate music.
Current Site
Due to the urbanization progress, Huangpu River has become the central axis of the city. Industrial buildings and activities were moved to rural areas. Currently, the riverside of Huangpu is occupied by many "landmarks". Many of them have a monotonous appearance, with repetitive patterns on the facade being their only interaction with the city. Some of them are visually attractive in the cityscape due to their envelope, but they are even more disappointing inside. Repeated floors are filled with highly functional and commercialized activities, and urban scenarios are divided into fragments in an orderly manner. Additionally, since most lands along the riverside have been transformed into commercial or private land, citizens cannot access the riverside as they did before. Docks have also been abandoned. Currently, Huangpu River has lost its vitality and is 'frozen' and 'TACET'.
Due to the urbanization progress, Huangpu River has become the central axis of the city. Industrial buildings and activities were moved to rural areas. Currently, the riverside of Huangpu is occupied by many "landmarks". Many of them have a monotonous appearance, with repetitive patterns on the facade being their only interaction with the city. Some of them are visually attractive in the cityscape due to their envelope, but they are even more disappointing inside. Repeated floors are filled with highly functional and commercialized activities, and urban scenarios are divided into fragments in an orderly manner. Additionally, since most lands along the riverside have been transformed into commercial or private land, citizens cannot access the riverside as they did before. Docks have also been abandoned. Currently, Huangpu River has lost its vitality and is 'frozen' and 'TACET'.
Study Model of Space from Historical Site
︎ Spatial Study Models
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︎ Spatial Study Models
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︎ Programs: Sound Installations and Performance
This project will be the ‘Fun Palace’ of music. It will be the Sound Laboratory for experimental music, including interactive performance, musical installations and music exhibition.
This project will be the ‘Fun Palace’ of music. It will be the Sound Laboratory for experimental music, including interactive performance, musical installations and music exhibition.
︎ Architectural Drawings
︎ Architectural Drawings
