socio-acoustic wall[PARAMETRIC DESIGN] /// A WALL CAPABLE OF MANIPULATING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BOUNDARIES, DRIVEN BY AUDIO INPUT

PURPOSE: TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS TO REALIZE THEIR ACOUSTICAL PRESENCE BY A RESPONDING WALL.

The initial phase of this investigation was identifying a spatial need that could be resolved by implementing a parametric design solution. Our experience with acoustic distractions that occur in various spaces within our architecture building at Montana State University provided us with a problem we intended to resolve using a parametric wall design. The studio/critique spaces on the lower south-side of Cheever Hall are divided into three spaces by a series of office dividers. Three open studio spaces surround these critique rooms, making hearing and communicating at times, almost impracticable. The exist-ing office dividers provide adequate space for presenting boards, but offer no acoustic dampening of the space.

Six surface conditions were designed and investigated in order to provide a singular wall surface condition that best suited these spaces for socio-acoustic conditions.

Six [individual] component designs were also investigated by means of their functional properties as well as their mechanical structure.

Using parametric design, we were able to set certain parameters from the beginning of the design process from which we were able to edit and manipulate during the en-tire phase of design and development. The concept of a wall making an visual-acoustic relationship within the individual will increase the individual’s awareness of his/her own ‘sound’ presence. It is necessary for an individual’s own perception to be challenged by an outside source, causing the individual to question his/her original thoughts.

The wall has a primary structure with secondary components that respond to audio input received by various microphones within the wall. The secondary components include a highly reflective, concave surface on one side, and a rather porous material that absorbs sound waves on the other side. These components rotate on an axis, providing various functions to both sides of the wall. The wall acts in response to two inputs it receives: the first being sound with relationship to the source’s proximity to the wall, the second being the intensity or sound level that the source is emitting. The components spin on an axis depending on the input that the system is given. A moving sound source passing by the wall will attract the sound-dampening face of the wall, while silence attracts the highly-reflective wall surface. Static moments where no input is fed into the system could either direct the components to all face one direction or to remain ‘open’ on their axis.

PROGRAMS USED: [rhino4] [grasshopper] [processing] [InDesign] [illustrator] [pho-toshop] [maxwell]

phase oneidentifying place || experimenting with surface form driven by existing structure

phase threedesigning component solutions || experimenting with individual component design/function

phase fourrefining component || configuration of material and operational explanation

SCHEME [ 1 ] SCHEME [ 2 ] SCHEME [ 3 ]

000 002

lower gallery critique spaces || CHEEVER HALLlower gallery ground plan || CHEEVER HALL

ground plan || CHEEVER HALL

SCHEME [ 4 ] SCHEME [ 5 ] SCHEME [ 6 ]

The wall surface that was derived by angle of incidence is com-prised of hundreds of individual components. The intention of the wall [form] as a whole is to focus sound and scatter it where need-ed. The individual components work in the same matter but on a much smaller scale. Convex and concave forms were explored through various geometries, due to their manipulative characteristics to sound [and light]. The renditions to the right include three series of geometries explored. Each series was then either intensified or depressed on either single or multiple axes. The choice of the component relied on functionality. The intention of each component was to revolve around an axis attached to a larger structure as a responce to sound data input. The revolution of each component therefor needed to spin within certain physical parameters, making bulky and wide geometries less feasable. Materiality also influenced component design. It was known at this phase that one side’s material would respond to sound while the other would respond to light.

//// Final component design

SCHEME [ a_1 ] SCHEME [ a_2 ] SCHEME [ a_3 ]

SCHEME [ b_1 ] SCHEME [ b_2] SCHEME [ b_3]

SCHEME [ c_2 ] SCHEME [ c_3 ]

phase fivederiving structure || grid structure by geometry of component

Choosing the component geometry was primarily based on acoustical analysis. The angle of incidence of sound provided direction for appropriate configurations. The rotational parameters that we initially set meant that the component had to be able to rotate within a given dimension. Interest in a hexagonal arrangement arrived after other configurations such as rectilinear, triangular, and circular were investigated. Materialality became a large part of the component design. The basic hexagonal shape provided us with a double sided surface. Each side is to respond differently to the absence/presence of sound. One side of the hexagonal component is composed of an acoustical spunge-like foam which is meant to dampen/reduce acoustical disturbance. While studying the form of the wall and how sound reacts with the surface, we dis-covered uneven, angled surfaces do well at dispursing sound waves, where as flat parallel surfaces reflect sound back at the source. This lead the design of the component’s acoustical surface to be angular, dispurs-ing soundwaves in six difference directions[illustrated in the lower right corner]. The acoustical surface of the component is complimented by a back surface composed of a highly reflective nickel-coated aluminum plate. This is the contrary response to sound; silence. The idea of incorporating light and sound into one wall is intended to bring the two senses together; to understand the two together rather than seperate sensual experiences. The core of the component is a single plywood board with a cylindar at its center which rotates around an axel. The cylindar is powered by a small motor driven by an Arduino processor which interpets sound input. When sound is received by the processor the motor initiates component revolution. The higher the intensity means a greater area of components is affected. A higher intensity also means a greater angular revolution by the component. If a child were to sneeze by the wall, the components might make a ‘half’ revolution, where as if the child were to yell or scream, the components would make a full revolution until the sound decreased. There is a visual connection to the sound created by the person making them aware of the acoustical pres-ence. In addition to simply making someone aware of their ‘sounds’, the wall helps to dampen inconvenient sound.

COMPONENT [ c_1 ]acoustic side perspective

COMPONENT [ c_1 ]mirror side perspective

COMPONENT [ c_1 ]within structural frame

acoustical foam

adhesive

plywood core

steel axel

aluminum cylindar

aluminum bracket

nickel-plated aluminum

bolt-nut connection

phase twodeveloping wall form || analyzing Angle of Incidence[sound]

Scheme 6 was designed based on the angle of incidence of sound on the different characteristics of the wall and to human scale. The exterior of the wall is convex in shape for optimal noise reflection away from the crit spaces while the interior of the wall is concave to focus sound.

Below, are three wall types whose acoustical shape were taken into consideration for the final wall design. Wall type 1 demonstrates the acoustical properties of a straight, curved top wall. Wall type 2 demonstrates the same straight wall with an indentation which focuses the sound. Wall type 3 demonstrates a bending wall and the effects of sound bouncing off a convex surface. The final wall design, scheme 6, employs all three of the studied wall types while wrapping around and over the crit spaces reducing noise pollution within the crit spaces while focusing sound inside the crit spaces. In section, the wall reacts to human scale and curves outward at head height.

LINE WORK [ a_6 ]

ROOF PLAN [ a_1 ]

FRONT ELEVATION [ a_1 ]SIDE ELEVATION [ a_1 ] SECTION [ a_1 ]

TYPE [ _2 ] TYPE [ _3 ]TYPE [ _1 ]

GRASSHOPPER DEFINITION [ a_6 ]

COMPONENT [ c_1 ]sound reflection study

The components are held in place by an aluminum honeycomb exoskeleton structure. Aluminum was chosen as the final candidate for the structure because of its’ lightness and bendability. The structure will be cut out of aluminum sheets with the CNC machine and bolted together on site. The structure will be suspended from the ceiling through to the floor to prevent swaying and to decrease impact on the surface of the floor. Suspension was chosen as the most appropriate solution compared to other schemes such as fabricating a stand for the wall or embedding the wall within the floor because it further reinforces the idea of lightness.

PrintWriter outputFile;String outputText;import hypermedia.net.*;UDP udp;import ddf.minim.*;Minim minim;AudioInput in;void setup() { size(1000, 500); background(255); outputFile = createWriter(“SoundValues.csv”); minim = new Minim(this); // get a line in from Minim, default bit depth is 16 in = minim.getLineIn(Minim.STEREO, 512); udp = new UDP( this, 6000 );}void draw() { String[] data = loadStrings(“SoundValues.csv”);

/* try { outputFile = createWriter(“SoundValues.csv”); for (int i = 0; i < data.length; i++) { outputFile.println(data[i]); } outputFile.println(myRecordVal); //WRITE YOUR DATA TO THE FILE outputFile.flush(); outputFile.close(); } catch(Exception e) { println(“error: “); } */ float myRecordVal = in.left.get(8)*500; String message = str(myRecordVal); // the message to send String ip = “127.0.0.1”; // the remote IP address of Host int port = 6000; // the destination portudp.send( message, ip, port ); }

PROCESSING SCRIPT

001

phase fivedesign development || pre-fab/parametric integration

003