See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/306000237

MUTUAL REALTION ROLE BETWEEN MUSIC AND ARCHITECTURE IN DESIGN

DEVELOPMETN METHODS

Conference Paper · March 2008

CITATIONS READS

0 1,246

5 authors, including:

Mohamed Khaled Khaled Dewidar

Nahda University in Benisuef The British University in Egypt
10 PUBLICATIONS   0 CITATIONS    105 PUBLICATIONS   46 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Heritage building information building information modeling for sustinability View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Khaled Dewidar on 09 August 2016.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 MUTUAL REALTION ROLE BETWEEN MUSIC AND
ARCHITECTURE IN DESIGN DEVELOPMETN METHODS

Khaled Mohamed Dewidar, Ph.D

Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University.

Maged Nabeel Aly Yossef, B.Sc

Assistant, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Modern Academy.

Hebatallah Aly Salama, B.Sc

Assistant, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Modern Academy.

Abstract:
Different art branches meet in many fields. Words & sentences of art are similar as
regards harmonic elements, unity & rhythm. We focus in this study on those fields which
make the architecture meets the music arts, and how each art is affecting the others?
There has been a tremendous development in architectural concepts. In the past, we had
obtained a complete symphony through the architectural works. Presently, we invent
flexible, dynamic architectural models by integrating music wave frequencies using
computer simulation programs or by de-constructing forms into free separate pixels.
Step 1, Explaining the mutual relation between music & its philosophical effect on the
architectural ideas. Step 2, Analyzing created architectural products which are designed
by the musical harmony inside the computer simulation program. Step 3 Finding if these
new design methods will meet the society’s desire & acceptance in the future, or not?

Key Words:
Fifth virtuality, Sonic visualization, Transarchitecture, Hybersurface, The Aural
Learning Style, Musical Notes, Musical chords, Emotions drives sentences,
Synchronization, Melody tune, Musical scale Fading layers, Biological rhythms and
the behavior of users.

No doubt, that the branches of arts are unified in one connected chain. Each branch is
affected by the others, thus the branches of music and architecture.
Similarly, in both fields, we shall find an amazing symmetry between their elements.
In the past, the architectural work was considered as a huge existence containing many
signs and meanings. If we stress upon the architectural forms and their outlines of plans
and elevations, we will find by chance that these forms represent a beautiful portrait of
art, which provides the same feelings when we listen to an enjoyable music symphony.
 First of all, let us explain that the art of music shows an interaction between the taste
and sensitive affections of both the composer and the listener. Therefore, music can be
defined as: an emotion case affecting one person who uses his talent to translate it to a
musical art. The success of this work whether that emotion case will convey the listener
or not…

Art of music consists of:

A- Composer: is a person who produces a valuable work as specified by his sense, type
of dominating emotion and his natural talent.
B- Listener: is a person who listens to the musical work and receives the composer’s
message. Each listener has a different aural sense, thus the sound tone, its purity, its
instrument type and the musical hall…etc.
C- Musical work: is a sonic existence that comes out through a single instrument or
more. It contains melodies and wave frequencies carrying the composer's sentimental
feelings. This work contains a mixture relating to rhythm, harmony, unity and variety.
The successful work depends on simplicity, true expression, sonic purity, quality of
instruments and creation of charming melodies and freedom from boring & repeating
rhythms.

The comparison between architecture & music will reveal that, the architectural
design process has the same components & elements, which are consisting of:
A-Designer B-User C- Architectural work

If we recognize the literal meaning of architecture, we will find that, the same emotion
case –as in music- affect a person who uses his talents to translate this emotion producing
sketches or creating 3D models. The success of the architectural works depends on many
factors including Depth of study, Full analysis, Cultural grade and reaching top aesthetics
of formation through designer’s ability of creation & innovation.

The architectural work is similar to the musical work as both contain the same mixture of
rhythm, unity, variety and harmony. If we watch the outlines of the successful high
formative architecture from the outside view, we will find high artistic value and will be
surprised with musical sentences. Usually, we were obtaining most pure musical
symphonies through the outlines of architecture as follows:

- Arches and colonnades will be transformed to music pieces (Couplet).

- Columns to drums hits or organs of church.
- Transparency of glass curtain walls to the most pure voice.
- The closed forms to (Opera Soprano tunes).
- The spaces between forms to music pauses.
- The floors and slabs will be changed to musical notes.
 Organs Colonnades Columns

Floors, slabs and curtain walls

Step 1. Explaining the mutual relation between music & its philosophical effect on
the architectural ideas through this following examples:

1- Architect: Daniel Libeskind

EXTENSION OF THE BERLIN MUSEUM WITH THE DEPARTMENT JEWISH MUSEUM
(Berlin, Germany)
1989-2002
If we analyze the project: we will notice that
the architect had a vision for the application
of the philosophical effect of a certain
musical symphony, which he transferred to
actual lines and lead him to successful
design. if we concentrate on the primary
sketches for that design, we will find out that
music had great effect on his spirit -since he
was young- , therefore he became as a poet.
After that he practiced architecture, that
effect remains dominating on his soul. So his
cultural background is clearly reflected on
his ideas accordingly.
If we follow one string of architect’s
thoughts in putting his own ideas of
museum’s design, we shall find that the main Clear imitation between musical note
idea was created due to Arnold Schoenberg’s & the outlines of design.
Moses & Aaron , an allegorical opera ‘whose subject’, according to the writer and pianist
Charles Rosen, ‘is the impossibility of realizing an artistic vision’. That opera is an
unfinished symphony because of assassination of the German maestro during the Second
World War.
The identification of this architect is Jewish, so his religious attitudes made him more
interested by this opera, which represents the great story of the two Hebrew prophets.
Therefore, he put a zigzag line to imitate the formation of melodies and the sequence of
raising waves in the unfinished opera. So, we determine an abstracted fact that, the music
has mutual affection with the inside spirit of architecture and probably that, some users
could be unable to understand that design-fact.

The philosophical projection of the music

symphony reflected on design’s concept
2- Architect: Hans which became real existence.
Hollein
Museum of Modern Art, Monchsberg, Salzburg
(1989-Under construction)
Hollein designed the building by subtraction
rather than addition Turning the geological
odds to his advantage. The interplay of
contrasting dark and light areas thus
becomes the predominant theme of the
museum’s architecture, reflecting perhaps
the same contrast and sublime effects as in
Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

Hollein opted to convert the caverns

concealed in the mountain into exhibition
areas. The visitor climbs laterally up the
cliff to an excavation 20 meters wide and 40
meters high, illuminated from above. Stairs
lead first to halls inside the caverns, then to
the large exhibition spaces, inundated by
light, on the upper side,
Model of interior

Longitudinal
Section

Section Cross section

Conceptual drawings
Step 2. Analyzing created architectural products which are designed by the musical
harmony inside the computer simulation program.

On the contrary of the previous visions & in view of the quick progress in architectural
design methods, this resulted and created a new generation of architects who followed
such different attitude depending on the computer programs.
However, what we have to stress upon in this respect, is the real effect of music in
creating the process of renovation the architectural design methods.

The beginning of this subject appeared with the design of the Philips pavilion for the
world exhibition in 1958 “le poeme electronique” by Le Corbusier and Lannis Xenakis
not only as a result of research according to the acoustic qualities of form, but as a
contemporary expression extending architectural principles, and mainly the ones of
functionalism, to the one of music and cinema. The superposition of the hyperbolic
external shape, conceived by Lannis Xenakis with the internal one of the “stomach of a
cow” conceived by Le Corbusier constitutes thus more than a contradiction to one of the
main architectural principles (inside=outside / form follows function) but a
deconstruction of its traditional language. On one hand the application of new static
construction principles based on hyperbolic mathematical functions on which Lannis
Xenakis also based his composition “Concret-ph” played inside the building , can be
seen as a rational approach to relate space , music and construction through science. But
on the other hand the internal shape of the pavilion creates an organic space of “flows”.
The possibilities of data visualization offered by the digital medium in the domain of
sonic , visual and spatial shapes as well as multiple forms of mapping one medium into
another. “Light, color, rhythm, image, sound; the bases; the data’s for a new
performance; we can call it electronic play”.
Le Corbusier, in “le poeme electronique” , ed . les Edition de Minuit, 1958.

Accordingly, we find ourselves close particularly to the field of digital architecture,

which is developing since 1980 up to now. The cyberspaces became the wide ground
which, lead us easily to the top aesthetics in formation of the architectural products in a
very short time.

Development scale of computer programs has been augmented until reached the
simulation computer program which, added fourth dimension to 3d model which creating
special paths for watching the inside & outside spaces of model inside the computer
program. This process is called the virtual reality. Further more, a few architects have
entering a further dimension called the fifth dim. The leader of those architects is a
British called Marcos Novak who named it the fifth virtuality. The musical melodies
have, therefore, appeared in a new frame, as explained in the next pages:
1- Architect: Marcos Novak
PARACUBE
1997-1998
For this project, a cuboid was defined by six parametric surfaces,
each with its own coordinate system. The parametric equations
governing each surface were arranged so that a variation on a
particular surface would cause reactions or permutations on
adjoining surfaces, effectively creating a topological cube. The
parametric cuboid was manipulated to create two forms: a
skeletal frame and a smooth skin. Parameterization allowed the
smoothness each element to be defined & manipulated through
computational formulae; the frame was derived from the same
process, where the skin was computed at high smoothness & the
skeleton at law smoothness. The skeleton was then
mathematically extruded into the fourth dimension by adding a
fourth coordinate to every three dimensional point. Thus, points
became lines, lines became polygons, and polygons became
cubes and cubes became hyper-cubes. The resulting four-
dimensional object was rotated about a plane in four-dimensional spaces according to the
appropriate matrix transformations. The transformed object, projected back into three-
dimension spaces, became a space-frame of variant dimensions. The skin was not
extruded into the fourth dimension but instead remapped to create a rippling, non-
homogeneous surface.

Novak steps on design that project in details:

1st step: Novak has transformed all data and details relating to the project to a group of
numbers & algorithms which, are reorganized in shape of mathematical equations and
those algorithms can be classified as follows:
1- Algorithms of drawing plans, elevations & spaces in three dimensions.
2- Algorithms of colors.
3- Algorithms of lighting.
4- Algorithms of simulation as in the site.
5- Algorithms of main specifications, entrances & exits.
6- Algorithms of environmental control.
7- Algorithms of sanitary and electric works, stairs, lifts, escalators, air condition
and fire equipments.
8- Algorithms of landscape works.
9- Algorithms of animation inside & outside project spaces in the four dimensions.
2nd step: These algorithms can be entered gradually on the model according to the
priority. Thus, this operation is done through operating a musical program. This program
transfers the data from the mathematical equations directly to the formation process.
HOW?
1- To specify the type of music melody, purity, sonic tune and its period. These
music wave frequencies can be controlled by way of high or below volume inside
the injection operation.
 2- We find that, the pixels of model inside computer program became lines, the lines
became surfaces, the surfaces became cubes and they finally became as hyper-
surface forms.

So it could be re-mechanized the Novak design process in the following figure:

1- Data organization in
shape of algorithms &
mathematical equations. DATA + DESIONS

2- Algorithms are entering

the model through musical
wave frequencies. NUMBERS + ALGORITHMS

3- Injecting musical
frequencies in each pixel, MUSICAL MELODIES
line, surface & cube inside
formation program.

4- Obtaining flexible HYPER-SURFACES

architectural products POLYGONS
(Hyper-surface forms)
(Top aesthetics)

If we make comparisons between (The sonic space) & (The cyber-space), we will find
that:
-Sonic space thus can be defined as the study of systemic relations between humans and
acoustic environments formed through the conscious and subliminal perceptions of the
listener. In this manner the analysis of sonic space is based on the cognitive and
perceptual attributes such as: front, rear, counter, rhythm, silence, density, space and
volume, which are derived analytical concepts setting of sonic space is not only an
organization of sound in time, but also the constitution of a matrix of acoustic, visual,
behavioral patterns within their spatial expression.
-Cyber-spaces are unlimited spaces inside computer programs & networks. These spaces
added important adjective to the architecture, which is called the liquidity because it lead
us easily to great aesthetics of formation & flixable architectural products in very short
time.

We can conclude that, the music has played an important role in creating such new
method of architectural design. The understanding of tasting aesthetics in the past was
depending on extraction the musical symphonies through watching the beautiful-
successful architecture. But now, the vision of tasting aesthetics is depending on
injecting musical melodies inside computer programs to obtain amazing fixable
architectural products.
 2- Trials of students projects
Ideas of sketches and models : Expressing Music in Architecture
Program: Hybrid Music Performance Center + Shopping Mall
Site: Rome
A.Initial sketch on site
B.First study model
C.Development of the initail sketch
D.Model "Music captured in a form"
E.Development of model #4
F.Final model

Students sketches: Different visions of music in architectural products

 Step 3. Finding if these new design methods will meet the society’s desire &
acceptance in the future or not?
Finally, we must refer to an important matter that, our most importance has to be
confined to user’s service. On the running time, architects are making all their efforts to
produce easiest and quicker ways to create such comfortable architectural spaces.
In the past, certain people had observed that, the successful architecture in beautiful
formation was contained musical symphonies. The people were enjoyed high sensitive
taste, strong observation and deep culture. Therefore, the music role in architecture was
confined on those people particularly.
Presently, the scientific development jump for the architectural design methods has sorted
out new generation of unknown architects as their existence is now behind computer
screens. Where as some of project owners have the ability to create their architectural
spaces by them selves through the experiment of the virtual reality.
We would point out that, this process is only confined on the digital society, with full
satisfaction for those who have scientific experience and global culture. Unfortunately,
we find that, it is too difficult to spread these new architectural design methods over the
third world countries which their relative architects are fully controlling in the user’s fate.

Conclusion:

Before we come to the end of this study, we would make a point of view, that, the
architectural design has realized, nowadays, a big jump to an advanced development, just
to meet in harmony with the beauty of musical symphony conducted by a technology
“Maestro” is called “Computer”.

References:

1- Frederic Miagayrou & Marie-Ange Brsyer, "Archilab", Thames & Hudson, page
314:321
2- Carla Bertolucci," Frosen music", Architecture Review, May 2003.
3- Manuel Abendroth," The shape of sound", L’ARCA, 181-April 2003.
4- Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre, "Architecture in Europe, Memory and invention
since 1968", Architecture Review, May 2003.
5- www.Talent.pratt.edu
6- www.arch.mcgill.ca/.../ Smith/hsmith34.html
7- www.multiplespaceuse.com/ msu/projectwelcome/i...

View publication stats