Sound Urbanism Course. Victoria Meyers architect; Spring 2013. Sound Urbanism and Sound Ecology concepts. Presentation of UC student work from the Seminar, including sound files from sound sections through Cincinnati, Ohio. Studies Sound Urbanism and changes related to changing demographics, and changes to the urban industrial base.

1. Iannis Xenakis:
Trained as an Engineer;
worked as an engineer and architect with Le Corbusier;
wrote music, and designed ‘Polytopes’ – installations that combined
light and sound to make fully immersible environments.
Writings : 1963

2. Xenakis’ Concept:
To become a new kind of ‘Artist / Conceptor’
Knowledgeable and inventive in Mathematics,
Logic, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Genetics,
Palentology, Human Sciences and History:
Knowledge based on, guided by, and oriented
toward forms and architecture
music and architecture : 1971

3. Le Corbusier Years
1947 - 1959 (Age : 25 - 37)

4. Xenakis’ role at La Tourette?
La Tourette: Designed as a Dominican Convent at Evaux
Today: Centre Thomas More

5. La Tourette: windows based on musical spacing: formal movement through shadow/light

6. Links between Music and Mathematics
Musicians and Analytical Geometry
Xenakis and probability calculation
1970’s Construction of the
Analog digital computer @
CEMAMu
(Center for mathematical and automated musical
studies, founded by Xenakis)
Computer: allows use of an electrolytic surface + a pen
linked to a computer and speakers -
Ability to transform drawings into sound
(compare to Frank Gehry’s use of CATIA to create 3-
Dimensional forms by tracing a pen over a phsyical model)
Music:
Sound and Number
Acoustics and Mathematics

7. Cite Radieuse: Marseilles Housing Block
1945 - 1953

8. Xenakis’ role : Calculation of Structural Members
Collaborators include artist: (color consultation)

9. Cite Radieuse Rooftop Nursery construction
Xenakis collaboration - 1953 - 54

10. Chandigarh
1951 - 60

11. High Court, Chandigarh: 1950 – 55
Xenakis Role: Structural Design

12. Assembly Building, Chandigarh, India
1951 – 62
Hyperbolic ‘Dome’ for the Assembly lets ceremonial light enter the Assembly
Chamber @ Equinox and Winter Solstice

13. Chandigarh Assembly: Xenakis Contributions:
‘Undulating Glass Panes’
Assembly Building ‘Plug’ form (concrete – just 6” thick)
The techniques developed with this construction carried over to Xenakis’s
design of Philips Pavilion
1951 - 59

14. Hyperbolic Paraboloid form: Assembly Chamber (note LC and Xenakis’ use of
mathematics and physics in design concepts – the Plug relates to shape of
Nuclear Power Reactor cone)
Chandigarh Assembly : Building Model: Assembly was Centerpiece of
LC”s Design for Chandigarh, India

15. Tower of Shadows: (Arch of the Equinox’s) – LC and Xenakis studied the
trajectory of the sun for several LC projects, including the Chandigarh
Assembly Cone

16. Tower of Shadows: An architectural sculpture designed with LC to
demonastrate the virtue of the ‘brise-Soliel’.
The Tower of shadows created a permanently shaded space
LC also planned to construct a ‘Arch of the Equinoxes’ – to demonstrate the
path of the sun during the Equinoxes in Chandigarh. The ‘Arch of the Equinoxes’
sculpture project was never built

17. Firminy : 1955 - 61

18. Firminy : Youth and Cultural Center including classrooms, 2 theaters, a
library and informal meeting and exhibition spaces. Main element:
Grandstand
1955 – 61

19. Firminy Cultural Center: Details
End elevation; Entry Ramp;
Window Detail

20. Philips Pavilion: 1956 - 58

21. Musical Architectural Influences:
Messiaen
Hermann Scherchen : Melos (Periodical) (writings on music)
Music of: India, Laos, Vietnam, Java, China, Japan
(Xenakis was ahead of his time: world music)
Musique concrete (samples)
Xenakis’ Musical accomplishments:
Metastaseis (first original score)

22. Phillips Pavilion: 1958 :
Development of Polytopes

23. Philips Pavilion: Hyperbolic Paraboloid
Influences on design:
Mathematics, Music, Physics, Computational Design

24. Formal Diagram for Philips Pavilion Plan

25. Philips Pavilion: ‘Built Sound’
Xenakis’ ‘Electronic Poem’ - 2 – minute concert (Metastasis) between
Varese’s Poeme Electronique: 8 minutes

26. Investigations linking Stochastic Systems to Architecture and Sound
1950 - 2001

27. Housing project in Reze near Nantes: 1950 - 54
Façade Studies for rooftop Kindergarden
Window patterns inspired by Gregorian neumes, with window distribution
Following a ‘stochastic’ pattern
What is ‘stochastic’? What is a ‘Neume’?
Xenakis, Le Corbusier, and Stochastic Pattern:

28. Stochastic pattern in windows, Rooftop Kindergarden at the Housing
Project in Reze, near Nantes (former slide)
This window pattern repeated in several Le Corbusier projects,
And has also been used in projects by other prominent architects

29. What is Stochastic? (from Greek = to aim, or guess) - an adjective that refers
to systems whose behavior is non-deterministic, and not intermittent
(random).
Stochas is Greek for Stick; the pattern of arrows striking around a stick stuck in
a Greek hillside by an Archer in practice is the epitome of what is stochastic.
Any kind of time development which is analyzable in terms of probability is
stochastic.
Mathematical Theory: based on the theory of probability
Artificial Intelligence: using probalistic methods to solve problems, ie:
stoastic neural networks.
Natural Science: the model of gas filling a chamber, even though individual
particles of the gas will be moving in non-deterministic patterns
Physics: the Monte Carlo method: Random methods of computation and
experiment to create simulations for: the Manhattan Project (hydrogen
bomb).

30. Ronchamp: Use of Stochastic Window Patterns

31. Sanaa application of Stochastic Pattern
(borrowing from Le Corbusier/ Xenakis)

32. Neumes Translated into Architectural and Musical
Form

33. Gregorian Chant Pattern: Gregorian Neume
Xenakis used Neumes to create Window Patterns (Nimes);
and also as a compositional device for sound compositions
Le Corbusier, Xenakis, and Neumes:

34. Gregorian Neume

35. What is a Neume? The basic element of Western and Eastern systems of
musical notation. From the Greek word for breath: pneuma.
The earliest known Neumes: Aramaic origin - used to notate inflections in
quasi-emmelic recitation of Christian holy scriptures (chants).
They resemble a similar system - for the recitation of the Qur’an
In the 9th Century: Neumes became shorthand mnemonic aids for the
proper melodic recitation of chant. Neumatic recitation was first developed
in the Eastern Roman Empire (today’s southern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and
Israel).
Ronchamp: Windows placed as a ‘Neume’, or Neumatic notation of a Chant

36. Polytopes and Diatopes

37. Diatope or Polytope:
Galactic movement made visible
Diatope / Polytope purpose:
To resolve unsolvable problems related to architecture & the
Mediocrity of Concert Halls not related to Music of our Time
ie: the frontal position created by most concert halls
Diatope: eliminate the inconveniences created by collective
listening (concert hall) through immersion
Diatope at Beauberg (@ Centre Pompidou)

38. Diatope de Beauberg:

39. Polytope de Cluny: Light constructions with Sound

40. Polytopes : 1950 - 1985
Immersive Environments created through Light and Sound:
Polytope de Cluny

41. Further Readings:
Toru Takemitsu & Mathematical Structure in Music

42. Robin Evans: The Trouble with Numbers

43. Graphic depictions of Landscape and Landscape
Urbanism, presented to UC Students, Spring 2013
Sound Studies and Landscape Urbanism by
Victoria Meyers architect, hMa
Sound Sections by UC students, Victoria Meyers
Sound Seminar, 2013

44. Flood Plain Image

45. Trash Track, courtesy of MIT Planning

46. SIEESS Diagram: Courtesy: Harvard

47. Galway County Plan: Courtesy Galway Planning Dept.

48. Galway County Plan : Courtesy of Galway Planning Dept.

49. Urban Land Institute: Deployable Modular Landscapes

50. Michael Van Valkenburgh: Campus Plan

51. MVVA: Parks Diagram

52. MVVA: Park Design Diagram

53. Sound Studies and Landscape Urbanism
by Victoria Meyers architect, hMa

54. hMa: Won Buddhist Site Plan

55. Geometry and Movement: The Choreography of Spirals

56. The Concept of ‘Edge’ - as interpreted through Infinity: Infinite Bleed of Edge
Thru Screens

57. Sound Sections by UC students,
Victoria Meyers architect
Sound Seminar
Course topic: study of sound urbanism/ sound ecoloty
using the city of Cincinnati as a case study to investigate how
changing demographics and changes to industry and labor force
factors influence sound in the city
Presented at UC, Spring 2013