Juhani Pallasmaa theorized that while our experience of the world is formulated by a combination of five senses (the faculties of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch), much architecture is produced under consideration of only one – sight. The suppression of the other sensory realms has led to an impoverishment of the spatial perception of our physical environment. To that end, this studio has investigated the faculties of hearing, with a particular focus on the spatial dimensions of sound – the sensation produced by stimulation of the organs of hearing by vibrations transmitted through the air. A normal conversation has a volume of 60 decibels, a room in which one sleeps, around 30 decibels. What if we were to construct a sound-proof space where the decibel level would approach sub-zero levels? What would it feel like to experience a space of total silence and how would this fundamentally change our perception of space?
In an effort to find Silence, all kinds of places were explored. Time was spent listening to their physical, aural, and perceptual environments. These experiences were recorded through photographic documentation, sound recordings, instrument readings, written text, and emotional memories. This experiential data was composed into a single image that would allow others to understand the space’s three dimensional quality and sensorial energy. Information was layered into the image to reveal the technical, ephemeral, and phenomenological aspects of the sensorial world. At the end of this phase of our research we realized that our world is almost never Silent. Drawing sound became a challenge that was taken on throughout every phase of the project.
Sensory deprivation/enhancement masks were constructed to reduce one’s ability to hear and enhance another sense. The goal being to gain superhuman capabilities. Materials that yield high acoustic performance were researched and explored through the masks. Drawings were produced in an attempt to convey the sensorial qualities of the masks and explain their technical detailing. Through this project, metaphysical ideas about presence and existence were linked to the experience of Silence.
Three layers compose the mask; inside, out, and between.
Outside the mask, light and sound are reflected and only some is allowed to penetrate.
Between the mask, everything is disoriented; light, sound, and body are consumed.
Inside the mask, mind is separated from body and all reference to the outside world is lost.
Outside the mask, light and sound are reflected and only some is allowed to penetrate.
Between the mask, everything is disoriented; light, sound, and body are consumed.
Inside the mask, mind is separated from body and all reference to the outside world is lost.