Towards a poly-phon-ic environment

This thesis explores an architectural/landscape environment where polyphonic metaphors are the means for exploration and investigation. Polyphonic, as described in musical definitions/ terms, is the style of composition in which two or more distinctly independent but organically related parts sound against one another. This combination produces associations within the piece that relate to various time lengths and musical instruments when particular musical motives, specifically melodic lines, play against one another. An interdependent relationship between the lines, a vertical association, is referred as harmony, while an interdependent relationship within the lines, a horizontal relationship, is referred as melody. The significance of this metaphorical association with architectural form is the opportunity to create an architectural vocabulary that is exemplified by its richness and diversity of spatial, material, and subconsciousness qualities that moves beyond music's time sequential nature. It is an attempt to provide an environment that exhibits polyphonic qualities in a space-time sequence. Inherent to achieve these qualities, several issues must be considered. This includes; territorial definition and exchange (privacies vs. public), materiality decisions, physical reciprocity, lighting intentions ... etc. The vehicle for these studies will be a chamber music facility programmed for both practice and performance. It is a place where chamber groups or individual performers have decisions to select a place appropriate for their "style" of performance beyond the traditional enclosed concert hall.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

1998

Author dc:creator

• Wu, Jesse, 1972-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Imre Halasz.This includes decisions such as basic acoustical qualities, audience relationship to performance and appropriate levels of public and private levels of interaction. The multiplicity of use, both in performance and audience interaction, reinforce the polyphonic association. Particular emphasis will address the fol lowing questions/statements; How can the outdoor music building type (specifically for the chamber music) begin to challenge the place and performance aspects to provide a range of associations and interactions? How can architecture and landscape exhibit polyphonic qualities that move beyond music's constraint of sequential time and experience? How can the natural landscape begin to re-interpret interior spaces by creating a consonance of internal horizons and external cosmic associations?

• Architecture.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/70865

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/70865