In Short
“Urban Sonic Networking- Urban Design through Acoustic Sensory Manipulation” proposes a new
design approach located at the intersection of two existing fields of design studies, ‘Aural Design’
and ‘Urban Design’.
There is a significant body of work in Aural Design, sometimes referred to as ‘acoustical design’
focused on the acoustical phenomena of performance spaces such as auditoria, and rather less on
the related issue of preventing urban sounds from infiltrating interior spaces. Urban spatial design is
an extremely large and long established field of work, with many differing sub-specialities, but which
may be summarized as primarily focused on the manipulation of geometry, materials and building
morphologies in the service of cultural and programmatic criteria. The purpose of this research is to
establish processes that incorporate the physics and perceptual phenomena of sound in the design
of urban spatial networks. This approach integrates auditory design concepts and phenomena, with
cultural programmes in a new network of urban interstitial spaces.
The research is structured in three phases. Firstly, the study synthesizes theoretical auditory physics,
perceptual theories and phenomena, with urban networking theories. Implemented examples of
acoustic design technology found within different disciplines, including installation and performance
art and communication, are examined and abstracted. Furthermore, the study will integrate data
sets of acoustic phenomena derived from measured and calibrated case studies of the physics of
acoustical phenomena, in a series of existing urban spaces, with the results of digital simulations
and experiments.
Secondly, the set of spatial design parameters that can be integrated with acoustical parameters for
the design of urban spaces is to be defined in this research. Although the complete set (including
technological, ecological, topographical and cultural) of parameters is defined to determine the
theoretical and phenomenal context, this design research will focus specifically on the ecological
and topographical parameters of spatial networks. It is argued that these parameters provide the
best candidates for the design synthesis of ‘Aural Design’ and ‘Urban Design’.
In the third and final phase of the design research, new urban aural design parameters are to be
developed that are complimentary to existing urban spatial and morphological design data sets. The
aim is to evaluate the resulting data sets by physically and digitally modelling networks of urban
interstitial spaces, for calibration and evaluation.
design approach located at the intersection of two existing fields of design studies, ‘Aural Design’
and ‘Urban Design’.
There is a significant body of work in Aural Design, sometimes referred to as ‘acoustical design’
focused on the acoustical phenomena of performance spaces such as auditoria, and rather less on
the related issue of preventing urban sounds from infiltrating interior spaces. Urban spatial design is
an extremely large and long established field of work, with many differing sub-specialities, but which
may be summarized as primarily focused on the manipulation of geometry, materials and building
morphologies in the service of cultural and programmatic criteria. The purpose of this research is to
establish processes that incorporate the physics and perceptual phenomena of sound in the design
of urban spatial networks. This approach integrates auditory design concepts and phenomena, with
cultural programmes in a new network of urban interstitial spaces.
The research is structured in three phases. Firstly, the study synthesizes theoretical auditory physics,
perceptual theories and phenomena, with urban networking theories. Implemented examples of
acoustic design technology found within different disciplines, including installation and performance
art and communication, are examined and abstracted. Furthermore, the study will integrate data
sets of acoustic phenomena derived from measured and calibrated case studies of the physics of
acoustical phenomena, in a series of existing urban spaces, with the results of digital simulations
and experiments.
Secondly, the set of spatial design parameters that can be integrated with acoustical parameters for
the design of urban spaces is to be defined in this research. Although the complete set (including
technological, ecological, topographical and cultural) of parameters is defined to determine the
theoretical and phenomenal context, this design research will focus specifically on the ecological
and topographical parameters of spatial networks. It is argued that these parameters provide the
best candidates for the design synthesis of ‘Aural Design’ and ‘Urban Design’.
In the third and final phase of the design research, new urban aural design parameters are to be
developed that are complimentary to existing urban spatial and morphological design data sets. The
aim is to evaluate the resulting data sets by physically and digitally modelling networks of urban
interstitial spaces, for calibration and evaluation.
