The aesthetic principles of soundscape in architectural design and built environment

Abstract

This thesis is an attempt to establish a practical way for architectural designers to take advantage of the relationship between soundscape and architectural aesthetics. The whole study aides in providing a structural framework by which architectural designers could incorporate acoustic elements into their design, with aesthetic concerns rather than for practical purpose. The discussions of soundscape and architecture forms are organized in the order of point, line, plane and space to present my personal observations on the issue. Three graphic systems are developed based on the previous researches of soundscape to visualize the coexistence of sonic identities and visual identities in built environment and how both of them interact to create a multi-sensory experience for visitors. Among the three systems, the Soundscape Map system is particularly introduced to demonstrate some case studies where soundscape elements are successfully employed to strengthen the construction of architectural spaces and forms. The goal of this research is to open a door for architectural researchers to discover the interconnection between soundscape and architecture, with the hope that the graphic systems introduced could be useful for effective designs with soundscape concerns in built environment.