B R A D E N L . F I E L D

V i r g i n i a P o l y t e c h n i c I n s t i t u t e a n d S t a t e U n i v e r s i t yC o l l e g e o f A r c h i t e c t u r e a n d U r b a n S t u d i e s

U n d e r g r a d u a t e T h e s i s

Architecture and Music have been compared as sisters of rhythm, number, density, space, notation, proportion, structure, limits, expression, evocation, and understanding. while they are unique in most realms of materialization, the chan-nels of interaction between each art can be focused to emerge as shared identi-ties. it remains important to distinguish Architecture and Music as separate entities - parallel lines which never converge, but may be bridged and intercon-nected through modes of comparison and understanding.

Music operates in the order of successions in time while Architecture operates in the order of simultaneities in space, but each has the ability to refer to the other through their development and appreciation. the design process and its result can be strengthened through an investigation and understanding of the essential ideas of Music by interpreting and rendering through an Architectural language.

B R A D E N L . F I E L D

V i r g i n i a P o l y t e c h n i c I n s t i t u t e a n d S t a t e U n i v e r s i t yC o l l e g e o f A r c h i t e c t u r e a n d U r b a n S t u d i e s

U n d e r g r a d u a t e T h e s i s

Architecture and MusicUndergraduate Thesis

Braden L. Field

Virginia Tech School of Architecture and DesignBlacksburg, VA 24060

© 2009 Braden Field

Book content, design, and production by Braden Field.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the author or Virginia Tech exceptin the context of reviews.

Font is 9 pt Helvetica CY. Produced with Adobe software on Apple computers.

Printed and bound in the United States.

this project was undertaken in a design process that evolved simultaneously with the documentation process. each exercise, drawing, and representation was approached as a method for problem solving and investigation as well as representation. it is important to note that the development of the project was as much an exploration of pedagogical process as an endeavor to design a building. the history and chronology of that process is important to the understanding of the project as a whole. this book is organized as a collection of sheets with supporting elaboration, divided into ten chapters centered around themes which come together to wholly explain the thesis. those divisions are as follows:

01 research 02 exercises

03 development

04 contexts

05 redevelopment

06 organization

07 space

08 elements

09 realization

appendix

acknowledgements

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

TABLE OF CONTENTS 00

it has often been said that to copy from one is plagiarism, but to copy from two is research. there are practically no original ideas in the field of Architecture. every possible move is inspired, paraphrased, or even blatantly stolen (whether consciously or not) from something that came before it. we may as well do our best to be aware of what we are quoting, so that we may do it in the most informed and intelligent way possible.

R E S E A R C H

RESEARCH 01

“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.” -Nora Zeale Hurston

this map of intuitive connections was explored through research, reading, and extrapolation as a foundation for thought and intellectual development.

RESEARCH 01 a

“Sketching [is] not a recreating but an understanding.” -Scott Gartner (8.11.05)

RESEARCH 01 b

as suggested by steven holl, “the question would not simply be ‘how to com-pare?’ but what unmarked routes to investigate and what experiments to perform” as a means toward developing an understanding of Music and focusing its ability to inform Architectural design. Music and Architecture are separate entities that can be compared and understood in similar ways, but never directly trans-lated. while separate, the arts are not isolated from one another, but engage in dialogue. the following exercises were methods for stimulating and moderating this dialogue in order to prime its potential to enlighten the design process.

E X E R C I S E S

EXERCISES 02

these diagrams were a study of visualizing structure within music. repeating phrases within the song are connected with arcs, representing the repetition, organization and composition of the song as a whole.

four seasons, autumn [vivaldi]

EXERCISES 02 a

these automatic mood drawings of a wide range of musical expression were a first step toward the graphical and simultaneous representation of music’s attri-butes. each was sketched for the duration of the song, without pause or thought.

EXERCISES 02 b

the music drawings were analyzed and recomposited in an attempt to identify correlations and structure within the drawing. this secondary manipulation begins to provide further understanding behind the exercises and informs the next move.

EXERCISES 02 c

as a more structured formal approach to a representation of the understanding gained from the previous exercise, these line and graphite drawings were an exploration within a structured system of order.

EXERCISES 02 d

“Get in the habit of analysis - analysis will in time enable synthesis to become your habit of mind.” -Frank Lloyd Wright

as another analysis exercise, the line and graphite drawings were recomposited to create an overall graphic illustrating the ideas of rhythm, structure, varying density, and proportion.

EXERCISES 02 e

artist henry moore pointed out that “the important thing is somehow to begin.” as the pace and focus of the project shifted from an exploratory world of diagram and theory in Music to one increasingly governed by the limits of space and Architectural contexts, inspiration and intuition had to be trusted. the knowl-edge and stimulus gained from the earlier exercises remained in play even though those same thoughts began to develop in an Architectural language. interpretation in the work became not only a process of understanding and defense, but a driving force in discovering the next move. so in an effort to direct this understanding and avoid misinterpretation Architectural hermeneutics are employed not only as a means of justification, but as a guide for design deci-sions. research and design feed off one another in a race to development of truth in the project. theory supports edification, and vice versa.

D E V E L O P M E N T

DEVELOPMENT 03

“In the final analysis, a drawing simply is no longer a drawing, no matter how self-sufficient its execution may be. It is a symbol, and the more profoundly the imaginary lines of projection meet higher dimensions, the better.” - Paul Klee

DEVELOPMENT 03 a

“Architecture is music in space, as it were a frozen music.” - Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling

these diagrams were a first attempt at moving the study into a 3-dimensional spatial exploration.

DEVELOPMENT 03 b

“Genius is personal, decided by fate, but it expresses itself by means of system. There is no work of art without system.” - Le Corbusier

multiple layered systems of order coincide to create spatial complexities and inform an heirarchical organization.

DEVELOPMENT 03 c

one of the primary means by which Architecture is separated from the freedom of art is through the limits of contexts. the act of defining a site, creating a pro-gram, and recognizing other pragmatic concerns of materiality, structure, scale, and plausibility all begin to provide resistance to the process, thereby forcing and informing decisions. it is through this friction that abstract development can begin to inform the act of building.

C O N T E X T S

CONTEXTS 04

the building’s proposed use provides resistance to decision-making and dictates considerations such as space, light, material, and organization. necessary adja-cencies and spatial requirements provide opportunities for architectural expres-sion. the building will serve as a house for a concert hall and supporting spaces.

CONTEXTS 04 a

a parking lot on the edge of Virginia Tech’s campus in Blacksburg, VA was cho-sen as the hypothetical site for its accessibility and familiarity.

CONTEXTS 04 bBLACKSBURG, VA

CONTEXTS 04 c

when decisions are held accountable through further development, continual recomposition, and constant interpretation, opportunities for improvement and re-thought often appear. it is in this spirit that the graphic technique of the drawings supports and encourages the design process. the speed and accuracy of digital rendering software provides the foundation onto which the agility and detail of overdrafted pencil lines are composited. the inherent intellectual quality of the hand drawings provides additional knowledge about the content and allows for a meditative recognition of the act of decision-making associated with each pencil stroke. it is through this process of endless re-evaluation that the truth and importance of an idea begin to reveal themselves.

R E D E V E L O P M E N T

REDEVELOPMENT 05

“Develop an infallible technique and then place yourself at the mercy ofinspiration.” - Ralph Rapson

this drawing introduces the graphic and working technique that evolves through-out the project. lines are composited and overdrawn as a means to better understand the content. this first iteration sets up the heirarchy and organization of the building that will develop throughout the project.

REDEVELOPMENT 05 a

“One’s level of confusion is directly proportionate to the amount of time one’s pen isn’t touching paper.” - Louis Kahn

iterative sketching and model making build upon earlier ideas, further developing architectural moments within the project.

REDEVELOPMENT 05 b

REDEVELOPMENT 05 c

there is a certain degree of obligation to fulfill pragmatic necessities inherent in the act of making Architecture. it is critical though to avoid a misunderstand-ing of louis sullivan’s famous maxim “form follows function” - use requirements should not be a driving factor of formal design. there is more truth found in an inclusive process which strives to allow for the joint development of both form and function. robert venturi’s argument for complexity and contradiction in architecture supports the idea of a dual evolution which incorporates the act of problem solving into the expressionistic creation of form. the following draw-ings explore the organization of the building which allows for the recognition and enhancement of crucial Architectural opportunities.

O R G A N I Z A T I O N

ORGANIZATION 06

“To create architecture is to put in order. Put what in order? Function and objects.” - Le Corbusier

ORGANIZATION 06 a

“In any architecture, there is an equity between the pragmatic function and the symbolic function.” - Michael Graves

as a literal translation of the thesis idea, the concert hall is treated as a separate volume, or a ‘music box’. this separation is articulated and emphasized architec-turally throughout the building. the idea of an interior lobby and an exterior lobby connection is explored through the relationship of the courtyard, entry, and lobby space. programmatic elements are standardized and grouped into masses.

ORGANIZATION 06 b

according to le corbusier, Architecture is linked to Music by the concept of movement and the successive perception of volumes and spaces. it is especially through the control of visual and haptic perception that the inherent abstraction of a plan or a score can be understood and transformed into the phenomenologi-cal reality of a spatial experience. both the architect and the composer deal with the creation of space through their own language - one the visual and the other aural. these drawings explore the spatial qualities of the project and define their relation to the constructed elements of the building.

S P A C E

SPACE 07

“A great building must begin with the unmeasurable, must go through measurable means when it is being designed and in the end must be unmeasurable.” - Louis Kahn

SPACE 07 a

“Drawing is the honesty of the art. There is no possibility of cheating. It is either good or bad.” - Salvador Dali

SPACE 07 b

“I prefer drawing to talking. Drawing is faster, and leaves less room for lies.” - Le Corbusier

SPACE 07 c

much like the instrument arrangement of a musical ensemble, the building is comprised of a number of techtonic elements which are organized as moments within the building. while each element is developed independently, it serves as a reflective feature within the overall order of the project. the main Architectural exploration within each element is a study of screen systems. these screen systems reflect the understanding of Music through their repre-sentation of concepts like rhythm, connection, density, repetition, varying scale, patterning, and heirarchy. the building is thought of as a system of Architectural elements functioning together in harmony, reflecting the composition and realiza-tion of a Musical piece.

E L E M E N T S

ELEMENTS 08

“How incredible is it that we can bring a thing together by pulling it apart?” - Scott Gartner (5.5.06)

ELEMENTS 08 a

bridges are the literal connection between the building and the concert hall, serv-ing as a spatial threshold. a steel frame is webbed with tension cables, creating a screened tunnel which marks the entry points into the music box.

ELEMENTS 08 b

the courtyard is enclosed with a system of columns and vertical glass slats that serve as directional blinds, shading the sun while preserving views toward downtown. from the exterior, the glass screen produces a shifting degree of transparency and animates the variations of shadows and sunlight throughout the day while blurring the transition from the town to the building.

ELEMENTS 08 c

a third screen system is made up of a curtainwall system of steel mullions and insulating translucent panels. these panels are patterned to read as a composi-tion in elevation, but have a depth of scale that reads in close proximity as well.

ELEMENTS 08 d

four varying densities of the same pattern are printed on the curtainwall system’s panels. these patterns read in multiple scales and provide varying levels of translucency.

ELEMENTS 08 e

Music usually differs (in the most general terms) from Architecture in the ephemeral nature of its experience - a Musical piece is performed, or temporar-ily exhibited, and understood within the context of the period of time it occupies. Architecture is more often an act of permanence - the final endeavor of building is one without second chances or duplication. this project, however, is hypotheti-cal, and thus is only as enduring as its representation. a model was built in an effort to create a more lasting form of representation and bring closure to the process while still exploring and learning from the project.

R E A L I Z A T I O N

REALIZATION 09

REALIZATION 09 a

REALIZATION 09 b

REALIZATION 09 c

REALIZATION 09 d

REALIZATION 09 e

REALIZATION 09 f

REALIZATION 09 g

REALIZATION 09 h

REALIZATION 09 i

this appendix contains a representation of additional work from the thesis year. while not explicitly included in the thesis project, it should be obvious that every-thing done throughout the year either affected or was affected by the thesis. this abridged portfolio supports and is supported by all of the other work contained in this book.

A P P E N D I X

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

Virginia Society Prize 2009, state finalist

APPENDIX

“Architecture... is not only buildings, but all the works that man makes with his hands in the course of his daily occupations.” - Martin Heidegger

my apartment needed a coffee table.

APPENDIX

ernest demnet elegantly remarked that “Architecture, of all the arts, is the one which acts the most slowly, but the most surely, on the soul.” the inverse of this assertion is equally true - the soul is a direct influence on Architecture, and hopefully that input is apparent throughout this thesis. there is, however, a lot more that goes into an endeavor of this nature in order to appreciate the returns. while the project is personally consuming of time, intellect, resources, and energy, its success ultimately relies on external sources. the following acknowl-edgements are a small representation of the gratitude deserved by all those who made this project possible, and in most cases, made it better than it could have been otherwise.

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

“Reading is thinking with someone else’s head instead of one’s own.” - Arthur Schopenhauer

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

home away from home.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

“Just picking an answer is not a bad way to start but it’s a horrible way to finish.” -Paul Battaglia (10.21.05)“We go to the bathroom in Architecture.” - Scott Gartner (3.15.06)“Collage is being able to bring things together that have never really ever been together.” - Frank Weiner (3.24.06)“When simplicity can not work the result is simpleness.” - Anonymous (3.31.06)“None of them are accurate… but all of them are true.” - Scott Gartner (4.3.06)“Not all buildings should be Architecture.” - Scott Gartner (4.7.06)“If you have a complex section the plan should be simple.” - Kay Edge (12.1.06)“Neutrality is neutralizing.” - Frank Weiner (12.1.06)“You don’t go to the grocery store and buy everything.” - Michael Ermann (12.2.06)“Traditions you are bound by; conventions you are not.” - Steve Thompson (12.3.06)“Intuition is a perfectly valid expression of Architecture.” - Michael Ermann (9.5.07)“That’s a sad, sad little plaza; far too rational.” - Jack Davis (11.12.07)“Be careful of drawing what it looks like – but don’t take your eye off of it.” - Gene Egger (1.13.08)“You don’t have to eat the whole cabbage to know it’s a cabbage.” - Gene Egger (1.14.08)“The definition of urban is if you can get a soccer game going in 15 minutes.” - Lucy Ferrari (1.21.08)“Structure is what all the parts share; function is the parts itself, which is seldom why the function dictates the structure.” - Gene Egger (1.21.08)“Don’t make layer cakes – eat layer cakes.” - Gene Egger (1.28.08)“We focus too much on how things appear and not enough on how they go together.” - Gene Egger (2.18.08)“The mark of an educated person is the ability to imagine yourself or something from a different point of view.” - Gene Egger (2.19.08)“Architecture is the mark of a culture.” - Gene Egger (2.23.08)“Intuition based on knowledge is certainly a reasonable approach.” - Kay Edge (3.17.08)“The best advice is to never give advice.” - Mario Botta (4.21.08)“When you read you get confused – when you don’t read you get dumb.” - Gene Egger (9.15.08)“It is inherently hard to deal with a circle in Architecture; which is why most circles are dif-ferentiated as a square.” - Hunter Pittmann (9.19.08)“Everything you ever make as an architect will be given away.” - Terry Surjan (10.9.08)“Instead of basing intuition on a perception it should be based on a truth.” - Patrick Clay (11.13.08)“The lines of your drawing are more important than the resulting figure.” - Gene Egger (11.20.08)“It is important that a thesis ask fundamentally different questions.” - Jim Bassett (12.17.08)

T E A C H I N G S

mom and dad. sarah long. virginia tech. michael ermann. anthony monica. hunter pittman. drew duncan. chad wilkins. apple. red bull. gene egger. epson. adobe. mish mish. bryan montanio. architectural record. the library. gramcie and grandad. parker. espn. itunes. rebecca landau. alex stewart. scott gartner. donna dunay. hunter wilson. europe. canon. kobe. west end. snohetta. blacks-burg. kroger. tots. claratin. leah croker. meg eckart. metropolis. steve smith. erin meyer. bridgette loiselle. usgbc. german club. vsaia. john cage. martin. stevereich. steven holl. le corbusier. louis kahn. honey brown. carlo rossi. carlo scarpa. princeton architectural press. ltl. strathmore. catt acoustic. hopke & associates. sal choudhury. keith and marie zawistowski. aias. irwin. hulu. gbj. starbucks. daniel libeskind. rhino 3d. sketchup. aia. lamy. pma. weight club. many more...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

T H A N K S T O :