Symphony
Square

I call Architecture “Frozen music”
John Wolfgang von Goethe

Think about it: have you ever walked into & space that felt uncomfortable or unsettling, even though you couldn't put your finger on why? Chances are, the acoustics were off. Maybe there was too much echo, making it hard to hear or creating an overwhelming sense of noise. Or perhaps there was too much ambient sound, like traffic or construction, that made it impossible to relax or focus.

On the other hand, have you ever walked into a room and felt an instant sense of calm or excitement? Maybe the music was just right there, or the walls were designed to create a more peaceful or exciting environment. sound is a crucial part of how we experience space. It can set the tone, create an ambiance, and even affect our emotions. That's why architects and designers spend so much time thinking about the acoustics of a space and how to create the perfect soundscape for its intended purpose.

So the next time you walk into a building, take a moment to listen - you never know what secrets it might be trying to tell you! Pay attention to the sounds around you. You might be surprised at how much they're shaping your experience, whether you realize it or not!

Situation & Site

Design a music center in the heart of Box Hill, in 8a Prospect Street, in replace of an open public car park and create a civic plaza for a vibrant and connected neighborhood, attracting more visitors, revitalizing urban context and giving families a new public place to enjoy and explore sound interactively.

The music center features an auditorium, one of the prime typologies in architecture and the main performance room in many buildings such as concert halls, theatres, opera houses, schools and entertainment venues.

Site introduction

Aims:

Early versions of the design employing fundamental forms. All of the shapes were scaled to be 500sqm in order to represent 500 individuals using the standard of one square meter per person in architectural design.

After that, the floor plans were extruded to a height of 10 meters, which is the acoustic standards’ middle range. According to the findings, the diamond-shaped design produced clarity values that fell within the usual range. The same was true for the reverberation duration.

Desire range:
Clarity C80 RT
Min: -5 Min: 1.4
Max: 5 Max: 2.1

Section model

PART II: MUSIC CENTRE

“You will be among few architects who truly understand the power of sound in shaping the spaces we inhabit”

Section with auditorium

‘

Facade inspiration

Physical model

Hans V.