Experience Iconic Buildings Though Soundscape Architecture

Sound is an important part of every building's experience but it is underrepresented.

Thanks to Karen Van Lengen, a professor at the University of Virginia, sounds of some of the world's most famous buildings are getting the attention they deserve through Soundscape Architecture.

The project uses sound recordings of iconic architectural spaces to create synaesthetic animations and musical compositions of the ambient noise there, according to archdaily.

Architecture is driven by the visual, especially in the age of the Internet, and while it enables people to scroll endless photos and engage in virtual tours, the sounds of a space are frequently forgotten.

"We don't study how to listen in architecture, which has been promoted as a visual field since the Renaissance", said Van Lengen in an interview with Urban Omnibus. "My ambition with Soundscape Architecture is not to show how to design for sound but to show people how to listen."

After recording a space, Van Lengen edits the soundbites into 60-second clips that represent the character of the building. Musician Troy Rogers composed new musical compositions using the clips and artist James Welty worked on the visuals.

The list of buildings includes The Rockefeller Center, Seagram Building, Grand Central Terminal and the New York Public Library.

Van Legen collaborated with the Institute for Advanced Technologies in the Humanities and the Department of Architecture at the university.

You can watch the animation and read about the spaces here.