Bruges, Music, and the Space Between: An Architectural Thesis

7/24/2019 Bruges, Music, and the Space Between: An Architectural Thesis

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EXPLORING RELAIONSHIPSOF BRUGES, MUSIC, AND HE

SPACE BEWEEN


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EXPLORING RELAIONSHIPS OF BRUGES, MUSIC,AND HE SPACE BEWEEN

A Design Tesis Submitted to theDepartment o Architecture and Landscape Architecture

o North Dakota State University

By

Isaac Karley

In Partial Fulfillment o the Requirements

or the Degree oMaster o Architecture

May 2014Fargo, North Dakota

Primary Tesis Advisor Tesis Committee Chair

Cover- Figure 1- Bruges alleyRetrieved rom visitbruges.be


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Signatureables o Contentsables & Figures

AbstractProblem StatementStatement of Intent

Proposal

NarrativeUser/Client DescriptionMajor Project Elements

Site InormationProject EmphasisPlan or PrecedingProgram

P/UI ResearchCASE SUDY: Daeyang House &GalleryCASE SUDY: Villa MalaparteCASE SUDY: Salk InstituteCase Study SummaryHistorical Context

Goals or ProjectSite Analysis

Site NarrativeQualitative Site AspectsQuantitative Site AspectsFigure/GroundClimate & Site GraphsSite PicturesProgrammatic RequirementsProgrammatic RelationshipsDesign

Te ArteactTe ExperienceProcess ModelsFinal PresentationNotesReerence ListPrevious Studio ExperiencePersonal Identification

ABLE OF CONENS

Figure 2- 1334Retrieved rom visitbruges.be


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Figure 23.Figure 24.Figure 25.Figure 26.Figure 27.Figure 28.Figure 29.Figure 30.Figure 31.Figure 32.Figure 33.


Musurgia universalis1572Bruges roofopsSteven holl sketchSketch o modulesDaeyang reflectionSymphony o modulesDaeyang ceilingEntranceDaylightCirculation

GeometryStructureHierarchyMass & sitePlan to sectionMalaparte stepsMalaparte rooIsolatedInteriorJean-luc godardDaylight

LIS OF ABLES AND FIGURES

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Cover image1334ReflectionsHotel prisenhoBruges concert hallRooflinesClay tilesCanal homesConcertgebouwEurope mapBruges map

Bruges aerialChurch o our ladyLes demoiselles davignonAlbert einsteinKen & RayScheduleSe grada amiliaSe grada statuesKln cathedralKircher & the earLucca choirbook

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GeometryCirculationStructureHierarchyMass & sitePlan to sectionFifh acadeSalk materialsSalk instituteStairwayConcrete corridor

wo viewsDaylightCirculationGeometryStructureHierarchyMass & sitePlan to sectionExperience daeyangSalk sunsetJeruzalemkerk

Te betrothalMusical measureMystic lambSt. bavo cathedralArnolfiniArnolfini mirrorLucca choirbookTe betrothalChannel orangeBruges at nightBruges sun

CourtyardDream bridgeSunny canalSide streetCity squareFigure/groundSun hoursWind speedRelative humidityPrecipitationAvgerage temperature


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Concert sectionPerormance stageLower level planDay perormanceNight perormanceEntrance v iewStreet level planListening loungeSecond level planVocal boothTird level plan

Live roomMixing roomArtist studioFourth level planNotationsHVAC sectionHVAC planStructure sectionProcess modelsPresentation imagesPersonal image

LIS OF ABLES AND FIGURES (CON.)

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Summer solsticeEquinoxWinter solsticeSun path diagramWind roseWind directionNoise & topographyNW site cornerSW site cornerSouth site edgeSite alley back

Site alleyView southView northNorth street photoo city centerPre-design matrixPre-design spatial layoutArteact set-upArteact perormanceTe ChordMusic in bruges


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ABSRAC

DEFINE

PROBLEM SAEMENTis thesis explores music and art in Bruges,Belgium and how it has shaped the city tobecome what it is today. It is only throughthis awareness o the past, and how it relatesto the present, that new pieces can be createdin such a way that will actively preservethe citys past culture while simultaneouslycreating a path or the city to once again beconsidered a cultural hub o northwesternEurope.

synesthesia

rom the ancient Greek [syn], [aisthsis], sensation

1. the phenomenon in which stimusensory or cognitive pathway leadinvoluntary experiences in a seconcognitive pathway.

How does Architecture create a physical limitto explore how music, art, and architecture all

stem rom the same synesthetic dimension?

Figure 3- ReflectionsRetrieved rom bezoekers.brugge.be

Figure 4- Hotel prisenRetrieved rom best2013.eu/ve


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SAEMEN OF INEN


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PROJEC YPOLOGY

CLAIM

ACORS

ACION

OBJEC HEOREICALPREMISE

PROJECJUSIFICAION

MANNER

Music perormance venue andstudios/public galler y

Tis project hopes to create anarchitecture that promotes theadvancement o art and musicwithin an historic setting, whilequestioning the way architecture,art, and music all stem rom thesame synesthetic dimension oexperience.

Musicians, artists, and the public.

Te architecture hopes toprovide a physical space thatinvites creativity throughimagining past experiences anduture opportunities.

An experience that resonateswith music and art throughmany different aspects o thedesign. Old and new, ormand structure, materials andlayout, light and shadow, soundand touch, people and the art,all work together to create anexperience like musical harmonythat can only be expressedthrough lived physical space.

Any new creation that holds asignificance in the culture oits present, relates old ideas,

thoughts, or palpable things tothe place in the time in which it

was created. Bruges is a beautiulcity shaped by its past. It was

once a cultural hub o northernEurope. However, it is no longerso significant in terms o its role

in the advancement o currentculture. I the city wishes to

return to that idea o itsel, itmust create new great things.

It is through the spirit o makingand doing that the city was ableto create a place we can admire

today. However, in order to trulypreserve its history, it must be

done so in an active way, throughcreation, thus returning the

spirit o making to a city thathas simply become a beautiulmuseum to understand a past

culture.

Creating architecture that can

provide and call attention to thespatial limits o the buildingby exploring perceived timethrough dramatic architecturalgestures, which incorporate theblending o sound and light.

Figure 5- Bruges concert hallPhoto by Isaac Karley

Figure 6- RooflinesPhoto by Isaac Karley


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PROPOSAL


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NARRAIVE Bruges, Belgium is a place that Ilove, and I might even go so aras to say that its my avorite placeIve ever been. When I traveledthere or the first time, abouta year ago, I was astonished athow surreal it all was. As we lefthe train station and made ourway over the canal and into themedieval city, it elt like I was ina airytale. Trough the reezingog, you could hardly make outthe beautiully detailed brickbuildings that lined the windingcobblestone roads, always leavingme to wonder what was aroundthe next corner. I couldnt helpbut turn to the person I was withand say, Ken, I know Im awake,but I eel like Im in a dream1.

While I was already in Belgiumor a school trip, I made a pointo traveling to Bruges as soon as I

could. Afer seeing the movie InBruges, a very dark comedy thatuses the setting o the medievalcity as a character as much asit does a place or the story totake place, I had to go to see itor mysel. And I have to saythat, writer and director MartinMcDonagh, got it so perectlyright. He tells the story o twohitmen rom Dublin who areorced to hideout in Bruges afera hit goes horribly awry. Te hit,which the audience learns a littlebit into the movie, involved theyounger o the two men, Ray,who had been ordered to kill apriest. However, in the process odoing so, he accidentally kills alittle boy who was conessing hisown sins, kneeling in ront o thealtar. Tis causes Ray to spiralinto a suicidal depression as hetries to reconcile his view o

himsel, as a person with decentmoral standards, with the act

that he just killed a child.

Te plot o the movie onlyunolds through getting to

know the characters, who aresurprisingly human consideringthe line o work they are in. You

learn almost immediately thatRay is not at all excited about the

prospect o staying in Bruges, aplace he cant possibly imagine

could hold his attention or twoweeks, with Ken, his business

parter, who is rather excited ashe proclaims, Bruges is the most

well-preserved, medieval townin the whole o Belgium!. As

they travel throughout the cityand sightsee, Bruges becomes a

third character which you beginto know and understand through

the dialogue between Ken and

Ray. It becomes quite clear,through how each o the two

men interact with the city, thatit is a popular tourist attractionthat seems to take pride in the

dream-like qualities one mightinterpret.

While the movie In Bruges wasthe way in which I was initially

introduced to the city, I wasorced to understand Bruges

through the story MartinMcDonagh chose to tell. It then

inspired me to travel there,which ultimately birthed an ideaor me to base my Architectural

thesis on. So, when I returnedto the U.S. and started work onthis project, I needed to deepen

my knowledge o the city inorder to ground the work that

would come. Tis led to a senseo initial rustration, as I was

Figure 7- Clay tilesRetrieved rom bezoekers.brugge.be


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only able to urther understandthe city through whatever I couldfind on the subject; I was againorced to see Bruges throughother things, i.e. books, art,music, and architecture. Tis,o course, is the only way wecanlearn about something thatwe cant directly experience,whether that limitation existsbecause o physical distance orthe passing o time. Tis initialdilemma, in act, led me to some

very interesting texts and piecesthat helped me see just howsignificant the city was duringthe 14th and 15th centuries, and,in turn, has helped me see Brugesthrough a lens o my own.

Filled with art, architecture,churches, and music that hada heavy hand in affecting thecultural and economic landscape

o northern Europe in the earlieststages o the Renaissance period,it is hard to dismiss Bruges asan historically significant place.Whether you personally agreewith Ken or Ray on the valueo its beauty to your ownexperience, it seems as thoughthere are plenty o people in theworld that dovalue its beauty.As the city depends on mucho its current wealth throughtourism and shopping, Brugeshas been extremely successulin revitalizing a vibrant culturewithin a city that has had s ometough economic times in the lastcouple hundred years.

While Bruges has gainedprevalence once again as adesired destination or peoplerom all over the world, it haslost its sense o urgency to

continually grow within thecurrent context o a world

culture. It has ound its nicheas the most well-preserved,

medieval town in the whole oBelgium (McDonagh), whichhas provided a beautiul placeto visit, but seems to have lostsight o the act that the city isa physical creation o a vibrant

cultural and economic spiritthat pushed creation in the first

place. It is not viewed by the resto the world as a place that is

relevant in the current culturallandscape o northern Europe,

which is another aspect that themovie In Brugesis also great atcapturing. Tis is seen through

Rays obvious lack o respector Bruges, and little pieces o

dialogue rom other charactersin the story, as evidenced in the

statement, Why would youever need to go to Belgium?.

It is important to note that itis obviously not Paris, Milan,

Barcelona, or New York; citiesthat continually supply the world

with new ideas, products, andsources o inspiration, neither

should it seek to be. Whatis important to understand,however, both or the world

and more specifically or Brugesitsel, that it was at one pointconsidered a major influence

on the advancement o culture.In order to preserve the city, as

organizations like the UnitedNations Educational, Scientific

and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) have begun to do,

we must look beyond simplypreserving and restoring the

physical character o the city andstart a conversation about how torevitalize the spirit that made the

city eel like it does today, like aairytale.

Figure 8- Canal homesRetrieved rom astcompany.com


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USER/CLIEN DESCRIPION

OWNER

MAJOR PROJEC ELEMENS

CLIENS

EMPLOYEES

PERFORMANCE

SUDIOS

APARMENS

Te owner o this building wouldbe something o an art directorthat is knowledgeable aboutmusic and art.

Te users o the building wouldbe the public and differentartists, both musicians andnon-musicians, that would beinterested in renting out thestudio and perormance spaces

or any duration o time.

Te employees o this acilitywould include the director andany sort o acility managementor employees that the directorwould choose to employ to helporganize events, spaces, andclasses.

While Bruges already has a largerconcert hall or more ormalmusical events, this buildingwould provide an additional

space or concerts and musicalperormances. Tis venue would

differ rom the existing concertspace in Bruges; it would be

more catered to the creation andperorming o music that is more

prevalent in todays popular

culture as the city currently lacksspace or such artists to perorm.

Studio spaces or musiciansallow this building to becomenot just a museum or past ideas,but rather or establishing acontinuum between past andpresent creations. It is the hopethat the work which would comeout o this building could help

return to Bruges the creativespirit that helped create the cityin the first place.

wo apartments would offer aplace or musicians and artiststo stay while doing there work.Tis allows or this building tobecome not just a stop, but adestination that is conduciveor artists and their work habitsduring their stay in Bruges.Figure 9- Concertgebouw

Retrieved rom spectable.be


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SIE INFORMAION REGION Flanders, located in northernBelgium

Belgium, located in northwesternEurope, is split up into twodifferent regions. Te southernpart o Belgium, knownas Wallonia, is a primarilyFrench-speaking area, whilethe northern part, known asFlanders, primarily speaksDutch. Brussels, the countryscapital sits in the middle o

Belgium and becomes a sorto melting pot between thetwo different regions andtheir cultures. As with manyplaces in Europe, space is quitecondensed. With anticipationo an influx o new immigrantsto Belgium, many people inFlanders believe that they willhave an issue supporting an ever-growing country.

Figure 10- Europe mapRetrieved rom Google Maps


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SIE INFORMAION HE CIY Bruges, Belgium

Te city o Bruges, Belgiumis located in Flanders and is aUNESCO World Heritage sitewhich is highly protected andextremely well maintained. Hereis an excerpt rom UNESCOswebsite about the city:

ourism, in the orms oshopping, dining, andsightseeing, is a major industryin the city. Tough this projectmight seem to go against theidea the city has or its uture,

Bruges is an outstanding example o amedieval historic settlement, which hasmaintained its historic abric as this has

evolved over the centuries, and where originalGothic constructions orm part o the townsidentity. As one o the commercial and culturalcapitals o Europe, Bruges developed culturallinks to different parts o the world.

it is worth recognizing thatpreserving a culture through

the making o new, historicallyconscious works, can be more

valuable than mere restoration.Figure 11- Bruges map

Retrieved rom Google Maps


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SIE INFORMAION PLO 5 KatelijnestraatBruges, Flanders, Belgium

Te site is surrounded by manybeautiul and historic buildings,including a major church, TeChurch o Our Lady, as wellas one o the oldest hospitalbuildings in Europe, whichnow serves as one o the citysmost well known art galleries.Currently, the site sits empty inplace o a ormer 5-story mixed-

use building and is surroundedby many different shops, localbusinesses, apartments, andtourist attractions.

Figure 12- Bruges aerialRetrieved rom Google Maps

Figure 13- Church oRetrieved rom keungatimec.b


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PROJEC EMPHASIS Creating a building that isconscious o and reflects onthe past in its own identityand rames moments o thecitys history, both through itsarchitecture as well as throughthe works presented and createdwithin it.

1. Pieces and ideas o differentgenres being displayed withinthe building is essential orillustrating the act that great

pieces o work take manydifferent orms. Any one personcan draw creativity rom any onework, whether it be a painting,building, or a song.

2. It is only possible to be awareo what the uture could hold orully understand how one relatesto the present i they have agrounded understanding o whathas come beore.

Figure 14- Les demoiselles davignonRetrieved rom arts.wincn.com


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DESIGNMEHODOLOGY

DESIGN PROCESSDOCUMENAION

Troughout the design andresearch I will employ a mixed

methodology o quantitative andqualitative research. Tis will

be done through a concurrenttransormative strategy guidedby the Teoretical Premise andUniying Idea. Troughout the

entire process, I will constantlybe analyzing, interpreting, and

reporting results rom statistics,

interviews, case studies, directobservation, and archival

searches.

In order to document the entireprocess, I will be reading,

sketching, journaling, takingpictures, creating videos, making

music, or anything that seemsnecessary to the project and to

the process.

A PLAN FOR PRECEDING

RESEARCHDOCUMENAION

Te majority o my research willbe ocused on the relationshipbetween architecture, art, andmusic; the known and theunknown. I will look at howthat relationship has evolvedthrough time and what are thecurrent trends when looking tothe uture. Research will also beconducted through a series ocase studies about new buildings

and renovations in the city oBruges to help understand howcurrent architects are dealingwith the challenges offeredby strict design restrictionswithin the city. Te case studieswill also be ocused towardsmuseums and different types operormance acilities.

Figure 15-Albert einsteinRetrieved rom hohoa.org


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Figure 17- ScheduleGraph by Isaac Karley


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PROGRAM


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HEOREICALPREMISE/UNIFYING

IDEA RESEARCH

Structures provide a place orus to dream, to imagine, tolearn, and to dwell. Whether itbe through a city, a building, apainting, or a piece o music,harmony between ourselves andthe world is achieved throughhow one interprets the spacewhich they inhabit. Tesespaces, defined by city streetsand building acades, alleyways,courtyards, church bells andtheir music, columns, bricks,

light and shadow, museums andtheir artwork, all occur in anexistential realm, but gain theirsignificance through how weinteract with them. Althoughthe modes o representationare quite different, the languagebetween all three, i.e. art,architecture, and music, are quitesimilar. While structure can bemade up o whole notes and

hal notes, canvases and oils, orcolumns, walls, and floor plates,color may be articulated throughdifferent chords, deep yellowsand blues, or the juxtapositiono new and old materials. Anda third element, time, may beexperienced by musical measure,a cubistic representation ofigures, or by the articulation ohow light moves across the aceo a wall. It is through our sensesthat these elements are capable o

movingus and dramatizing ourexperience o the world.

Te Senses and Our Experience

Our reason may be capableo dismissing the qualityo the built environmentas central to our spiritualwell-being, yet our dreams

Figure 18- Se grada amiliaPhoto by Isaac Karley


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and our actions are alwaysset in place, and our

understanding (o othersand ourselves) could simply

not be without significantplaces. () Architectureis maniest to those rare

places that speak back tous and resonate with our

dreams, it incites us to realmeditation, to personal

thought and imagination,opening up the space o

desire that allows us to beat home while remaining

always incomplete andopen to our personal death,

unveiling a glimpse o thesense o existence. We are

first and oremost mortal,sel-conscious bodies

already engaged with theworld through orientationand gravity. As embodied

consciousness we are deeplyintertwined in a given

world, in an unarticulated,preconceptual ground

that depends greatly uponarchitecture as the external

order, one primarilyresponsible or making our

limits present.

In this quote, romArchitectureand the Bodyby Alberto Prez-

Gmez, he speaks o how

architecture allows us to dreamand to imagine. He explains

that it resonates with memoryand demands o us that we

imagine such memories in thenew space created by the work

we are interacting with. Tesethoughts can eel like they can

last or an eternity, however,Prez-Gmez argues that it, in

act, makes you more acutelyFigure 19- Se grada statues

Photo by Isaac Karley


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aware o the space you inhabit,not just physically, but also intime. Te realization or extremeawareness that the architectureprovokes, helps the users tounderstand their position inthe space, which, inescapably,occurs at an exact moment; onethat will never be the same onceit is gone. Tough Prez-Gmezmay be speaking, in this context,solely o architecture, it shouldbe noted that buildings are not

the only things that can causethis same experience. A greatpiece o music or artwork iscapable o doing exactly the samething by opening up a spaceo desire that allows us to be athome while remaining alwaysincomplete and open to ourown personal death, unveiling aglimpse o the sense o existence.However, the point that Prez-

Gmez makes, which separatesarchitecture rom other modeso experiential interpretation, isits ability to physically make ourbodys limits present, throughthe maniestation o walls, floors,roos, and windows. JuhanniPallasmaa can be looked to inorder to explain this urther.In his book Eyes o the Skin,Pallasmaa makes a very similarpoint, but instead o using theterm, embodied consciousness,

like Prez-Gmez does, heexplains it more simply as ourbodily senses. He explains,Every touching experience oarchitecture is multi-sensory;qualities o space, matter andscale are measured equallyby the eye, ear, nose, skin,tongue, skeleton and muscle.Architecture strengthens theexistential experience, ones

Figure 20- Kln cathedralPhoto by Isaac Karley


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sense o being in the world, andthis is essentially a strengthenedexperience o sel (Pallasmaa,1996).

While we can understand thatthe senses obviously play abig role in how we experiencethe world, we simply cantdismiss the way a piece oarchitecture, art, or music affectsour imagination through thesenses. Te connection between

what we experience with ourbodies and what we are called toimagine, both in our memoriesand in an imaginative uture,are inescapably interconnected.Tis notion that our bodies areundoubtedly linked with thethings that define and color ourdaily existence is not a new ideaby any means. Tese ideas have,in act, been studied or centuries

by some o the greatest thinkersthe world has ever seen. It is onlyuntil the last couple hundredyears that we have begun toseparate what we experience withwhat we can explain as scientificact.

Jean-Philippe Rameau, a Frenchcomposer and music theoristrom the Baroque era, exploredmusic and its ability to interactwith both the rational and

experiential world. By examiningharmonic sounds as a basicprinciple o music itsel, hedemonstrated that one is able tomathematically divide a stringto produce simple and complexmajor and minor chords, whilethat same person, could huma note and switch their tone toits fifh without being a trainedmusician. o him, and many

Figure 21- Kircher & the earRetrieved rom g alleryhip.com


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other philosophers throughouthistory, the very nature o

musical harmony and its abilityto be so easily demonstrated boththrough our bodies as well as in a

completely mathematical realm,deemed it as a maniestation

o both natural and revealedtruth. Tey, in act, believed

that this collection o truthsvalidated music and harmony assomething created or us rather

than by us (Dodds, 2003).

Athanasius Kircher, a 17thcentury German polymath2, wasone o the last known people to

try and connect everythingin ourworld together, i.e. our senses,

art, architecture, music, science,etc. Trough his research, he

was convinced that music wasimmensely important to ourunderstanding o everything

around us. He was able to relatemusic to the human body

by comparing the requencyproduced by a string to the

requency traveling through theair. He argued that the requencytraveling outside o the ear in theorm o waves, was proportional

to the requency that affectedthe inner eardrum, and this

sound, or vibration o air, createda tone. As Michael Spitzer

goes on to explain in his book,

Metaphor and Musical Tought,Kircher believed that only thesoul is able to make sense andcount the tones, as the mind istoo imperect to do so. What

Kircher was in act arguing, wasthat our experience o pitch isnot something we can always

make sense o in logical terms,but rather, it is something thatemotionally affects us. Spitzer

Figure 22- Lucca choirbookRetrieved rom Music in Late Medieval Bruges


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continues by pulling piecesrom Kirchers multi-part work

Musurgia Universalis, by stating,From pitch Kircher proceeds tothe affections, and transers the

model o string tension to thedomain o emotional arousal,the nerves and muscles in the

human body are moved by musiclike the strings o an instrument.Tus we experience joy when the

spirits o lie are extended, andsorrow when they are contracted.

Kirchers theory o musicapatheticaportrays the body o

the listener as an object assaultedby sound, in a state o constant

excitement and agitation(Spitzer, 2003).

A Different World View

As it was briefly touched onbeore, there did not used to

be such a separation betweendisciplines like there is today.

Beore the Scientific Revolution,societies thought o music,

architecture, art, religion, andeven science, as all related to

one another. Cultures used tomake paintings to communicate

with the heavens, which theywould sing songs about, or

would build architectural spacesto create a house where the

populous could have a divine

experience. Many o the worldsbest thinkers, like Copernicus,

Kepler, and Kircher, even spokeo the earth and the planets usingmusical or mythical terms3. Tey

ofen pondered as to how theywere all related to our personalexperience and how they could

be used as a means o explainingthe world in theological terms.

Tese things werent merely usedFigure 23-Musurgia universalis

Retrieved rom 3trior.com


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comortable living environmentas well as a more scientificallyaccurate understanding oourselves, the Earth, and oursolar system.

However, this ability tounderstand our world in parts,and each part as extremelyactual and accurate inormation,has by its very nature, causedus to lose sight o the worldas a whole. In doing so, it has

hindered our ability to see therelatedness o things through ourexperience o them. Knowledgehas since taken the orm othat which is scientifically andmathematically accurate, anddisregards our experience, or atthe very least, our experiencehas become viewed as an ineriormode to truly understand theworld which we inhabit.

Tis differentiation is importantto acknowledge, not so that we

can simply return to an old worldview and rame our existencein more beautiul and esoteric

terms, but rather to join it withour new scientific understanding

and open our eyes to invite usto look across disciplines so

that we can solve our personaland societal problems. What

this project is intending to do is

to call attention to those olderworld views, by examining its

art, architecture, and music,to create a place or our new

knowledge and resources,celebrated through prior works,

to blossom into new pieceswhich the city can live through

well into the uture.

While music, like art and

architecture, has made its waythrough history in different

orms and scales, it has madeits mark in very specific places

as well. In the 15th and 16thcenturies, Bruges, Belgium wasan economic and cultural hub

o northwestern Europe. Due toits booming shipping industryand beautiul architecture, the

city became a hotspot whichwas filled with vibrant sounds

and images o everyday lie.

Te spirit o this period, whichwas documented though the

architecture, artwork, andbeautiul church songs created at

the time, allowed the medievalcity to become a memorableexperience. Afer a period o

downturn the city has beengreatly renewed through its

tourism, yet it still seems to livein the past. It is important that

as a way to represent the heavens,but rather to approach them,which was something that untilour modern-day understandingo science, was unquestionablythe only explanation or ourexistence.

With the Scientific Revolutionhowever, we, as a world culture,gained an immense amounto specialization with thedevelopment o science and the

inventions which succeededit. Tis results today in anincredibly well developed bodyo inormation in regards tofields like astronomy, medicine,and building construction, justto name a ew. Our ability toocus on parts in extreme detail,like a cell in a body or a windowdetail in a building, has benefitedus greatly in creating a more

Figure 24- 1572Retrieved rom architectureorhumanity.org

d hi t i ll d d i i ll d di l l d d d ff i i l l d ll


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new and historically groundedart, architecture, and musicmake its way back into theurban abric in order to promoteconversations about where thecity is headed next.

Exploration Trough theCreation o an Arteact

In order to perceive such ideasand push or new pieces, we were

called to create an arteact thatcould inorm our architectureand become a new orm oresearch; bridging the pastand present in some orm oranother. My arteact containsmusic written by a Ghent-borncomposer, Jacob Obrecht, whowrote plenty o his lie whilein Bruges. In the beginning omy own piece o music, which

contains a piece pulled directlyrom Obrechts work,Missa deSancto Donatiano,written ormass at St. Donatians Cathedralin Bruges, the audio begins as acleaner and pure note, but as itprogresses, the notes elongateand eventually become stagnatein their movement, as Bruges didrom the 17th to 19th centuries.It is then revitalized in a ormdistorted by the computer. As themusic is played, it is made visible

on the wall rom a laser reflectedonto a speaker, connecting ourauditory and visual senses intoone experience. Additionally, aperson becomes the musician,and is called to connect the spacebetween the speaker and thelaser on the wall with two pieceso wood strung together; thisbecomes their own instrument.Te note then returns to

elongated orm and ades off intoeternity; into the uture.

Te physical maniestation othe arteact resembles a harp or

some other stringed instrument.While two pieces o wood are

used to hold six strings on eitherend, the strings are covered in

chalk and conducted through theair by a player or musician. Teplayer orchestrating the strings,

does so between the speaker,

which reflects the laser on thewall, turning the wall into acanvas painted by sound. Tis in-

between space that is in habitedby the strings, catches the laserat certain points and activates

the instrument, making it appearas though the strings are, in

act, affecting the sound that isbeing heard. Te laser on the

wall starts off as a pure circle that

simply gets larger and smalleras the pitch changes, but as thepiece progresses and the music

becomes distorted in an instant,it causes the mirror on the

speaker to be assaulted by soundand create a more chaotic pattern

o the laser on the wall. It is atmoment that the player would

pull back on the instrument,causing the strings to become

taught, and the chalk would bereleased rom the strings and

fly into the air, suspending thenotes in the space between. Asthe chalk settles, so does themusic and the laser, and the

perormance calms once again,just like Bruges.

Figure 25- Bruges roofopsRetrieved rom tripadvisor.com

CASE SUDIES: Te Daeyang Gallery and surrounded by a plethora o


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CASE SUDIES:DAEYANG GALLERY

AND HOUSE

Seoul, KoreaSteven Holl Architects

Te Daeyang Gallery andHouse, designed by StevenHoll Architects eatures threepavilions (one or entry, oneor living, and event space)separated by a reflecting poolon the upper floor. Below thereflecting pool is a gallery spacethat eatures skylights that allowyou to view the sky above youthrough the water. Te floorplan was inspired by a 1967drawing called Te Symphony

o Modulesby composer IstvanAnhalt. One o the main ideas othe project was that the spacesare silent until activated by light;as the seasons and time o daychanges, so does the nature othe spaces. Te project is filledwith a grand sensory experience.Not only does light animateand change the space, actingmuch like music, the user is also

surrounded by a plethora osounds, smells and textures romountains, rain screens, wood,concrete, marble, plaster, andvegetation.

Figure 26- Steven holl sketchRetrieved rom stevenholl.com

Figure 28- Daeyang reflectionRetrieved rom stevenholl.com


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48 Figure 27- Sketch o modulesRetrieved rom stevenholl.com

Figure 31- EntranceRetrieved rom stevenholl.com

Figure 30- Daeyang ceilingRetrieved rom stevenholl.com

Figure 29- Symphony o modulesRetrieved rom stevenholl.com


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Figure 32- DaylightFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 33- CirculationFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 34- GeometryFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 35- StructureFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 36- HierarchyFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 37-Mass & siteFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 38- Plan to sectionFigure by Isaac Karley

CASE SUDIES: Villa Malaparte was a private writers desk rames the horizon


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52

VILLA MALAPARE

Capri Naples, ItalyCurzio Malaparte

p presidence designed or, andultimately by, writer CurzioMalaparte. In 1933, Malapartewas banished to a small island inthe Mediterranean by Mussolini.His return rom exi le didntlead the writer to want to rejoinsociety but rather to create ahome where he could continueto live in seclusion. Te house isa very minimalistic shape, a longrectangular box, that sits on topand seemingly within the jaggedrock on Capris coastline. Tefloor plan does the unexpectedby not revealing the beautiuland large horizon to anyonewho enters the home. Te viewis tucked away at the end o thehouse en route through severalrooms and a winding path. Oncein the room, a small verticalwindow that sits above the

line and nothing else. Te viewo all o the surroundings isachieved once traveled up theend o the building and onto theroo.

Figure 39-Malaparte stepsRetrieved rom youtube.com


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54 Figure 40-Malaparte rooRetrieved rom archi.ru

Figure 41- IsolatedRetrieved rom youtube.com

Figure 42- InteriorRetrieved rom orpilar.blogspot.com

Figure 43-Jean-luc godardRetrieved rom the movie Contempt

Fi 48 Hi h


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Figure 47 - StructureFigure by Isaac Karley




CASE SUDIES:SALK INSIUE FOR

Te Salk Institute or BiologicalStudies located in San Diego

in dreams, in imagination andi th th h d


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SALK INSIUE FORBIOLOGICAL SUDIES

San Diego, CALouis Kahn

Studies located in San Diegowas designed with the ideathat buildings should bemonumental and spirituallyinspiring (Perez, 2010). Teunctional and ormal buildingsare separated by a stone plazathat was inspired by a ellowarchitect and riend o LouisKahn, Luis Barragan, who calledthis plaza the fifh acade. Itfinishes the experience o thespace and creates arguably oneo the most inspiring and ormalarchitectural photographs o thetwentieth century. Te buildingswere meant to inspire creativitythrough the architecture and theydo just that. A quote rom theclient, who was also the inventoro the polio vaccine, Dr. JonasSalk, is inscribed on the stone inthe plaza that states, Hope lies

in the courage o those who dareto make dreams reality (Prez-Gmez, 2010).

Figure 51- Fifh acadeRetrieved rom dailyherald.com


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60 Figure 52- Salk materialsRetrieved rom flickr.com

Figure 53- Salk instituteRetrieved rom altitudecam.com

Figure 54- StairwayRetrieved rom stardustmoderndesign.com

Figure 55- Concrete corridorRetrieved rom flickr.com

Figure 56- wo viRetrieved rom jbphoto3


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Figure 59- GeometryFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 60- StructureFigure by Isaac Karley




CASE SUDYSUMMARY

When looking or case studies,I wasnt necessarily ocused on

so directly near the water, youstill have to make the climb to

includes a museum, perormancespace, and sleeping quarters, but


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yfinding a program to examinethat would match the program Iwas pursuing or my own project.Te reason or this was that Iwas trying to find projects thatocused on creating inspiringspaces. As my entire thesis isbased on the ability and necessityto look not only at what is rightin ront o you, but also in placesyou might not expect to findanswers. Ive learned plenty

through these case studies abouthow I would like the quality ospace to eel.

For example, Villa Malapartedeals with creating some sort owonderment and not revealingeverything all at once. In order toget a vast view o the ocean, e venrom a building that is placed

the top o the building in orderto achieve such views. Being

up there, you have to stay romthe edge, in ear o alling off

the side. Inside, the lack o largeexpanses o windows create thesense o the ocean being a prize

as it is not something that youget great views o rom mostplaces in the house. Te best

view, which is still restricted, isabove the owners desk where hewrites. He has an opportunity tolook up rom his paper and look

at the vast horizon created by theocean disappearing into the sky.

Te Daeyang Gallery and Housewas probably the case study that

was more closely related to theprogram I am pursuing but still

has some major differences. It

p , p g q ,unlike my proposed project, itis first and oremost a privateresidence. However, when it

comes to this project, I drew andwill continue to draw the mostinspiration rom what inspiredthe design and how the designis carried though. Steven Holl

Architects dealt with music andspace by using light as a sort omusical piece that animates the

space. With the idea that thespace is silent until activated by

light (Steven Holl Architects,2012) is an interesting thoughtand an inspiring execution on

their part. While in the museumspace in the lower floor, the

ceiling is decorated with long,rectangular skylights that open

up to the reflecting pool directlyabove. As the sun moves over

Figure 64- Experience daeyangRetrieved rom homedsgn.com

the building and the horizon,the space begins to change as

and is said to be even more sodramatic when you are actually


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p g glight reflects off o the floorsand up walls. Te water allowsthe light itsel to come alive as itshimmers rom the sun shiningthrough it. Trough a mix omaterials, sharp angles, and aplethora o experiences thatappeal to the senses, it is a trulydynamic space and seems to be aperect creative space.

Te Salk Institute or Biological

Studies was picked simply romthe view down the courtyardwater eature that disappearsinto the horizon. Te watereature sits atop the deemedfifh acade that appears tobe clad in the same materialas the surrounding buildings.Te image created rom thatspace is a very inspiring image

y ythere. Te building was designedwith the hopes o becoming aninspiration or the students thatattend the university and is saidto be quite successul.

Figure 65- Salk sunsetRetrieved rom millepercorsi.it

HISORICALRESEARCH

As an historical knowledge isalways a necessity when truly

North, it has not always beenthought o as such.

Hans Memling. Some o theirworks, specifically van Eycks, are


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attempting to understand anyone thing, person, or place, inBrugess case, its history is thevery thing that gives the city anidentity and relevance in todaysculture. In 2000, the entirecity center was recognized as aUNESCO World Heritage Site.According to the organizationswebsite, Brugge [Bruges] isan outstanding example o amedieval historic settlement,

which has maintained itshistoric abric as this has e volvedover the centuries, and whereoriginal Gothic constructionsorm part o the towns identity(UNESCO). Although Brugesis thought o today as a touristdestination or those exploringnorthern Europe and is deemedby some as Te Venice o the

Te city o Bruges was oundedin the 9th century by Vikings

and the name is thoughtto be derived rom the old

Scandinavian word brygga,meaning harbor or port(A

brie history, 2011). During the12th century, Bruges began its

rise as a cultural and economichub o northern Europe. B eing

a major administrative and

military center o the region,aside rom the popularization o

Flemish cloth, people rom allwalks o lie flocked to the city,

creating a bustling center andmelting pot o many different

cultures. Te 15th centurybrought Flemish art into the

cultural oreront by talentedpainters like Jan van Eyck and

still highly regarded by scholarsand art historians as some o

the best works o the time andare considered some o the

earliest influential works o theRenaissance period.

While the 15th centurywas considered to be Te

Golden Age o the area, thedevelopment o the port in

Antwerp, another Belgian city

located about an hour north,led Bruges into a steady declinetoward the poorest city in all oBelgium. Te building o canals

in the 17th and 18th ce nturiescaused the city to regain someo its maritime power, but notto the extent it had during the

medieval period. During the19th century however, Bruges

Figure 66-JeruzalemkerkRetrieved rom screenflanders.be

started to get back onto itseet with the resurgence o an

i i d i

close the inns, to warn o comingthunderstorms, fires and armies,

i d l d


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appreciation and interest orits previous artistic prowess.

It became a major touristdestination or those rom allaround the world wishing toadmire the architecture and

tradition that made the city whatit is c urrently.

For Bruges, the medieval periodwas a time in which the city

was at its wealthiest and most

prominent. During that time,the space and happenings o the

city were defined and narrated byart and music. Christianity andthe church played an extremely

integral role in everydaytradition and culture. Te church

bells would ring to tell peoplewhen it was time to go to work,

or the beginning o mass, to

etc; it structured peoples days.Music was not just heard withina sacred space inside the churchbut you could also hear it while

out and about. It was sung in thestreets by everyday citizens and

proessional perormers alike,and was ofen accompanied byperormances. Tere were, and

still are, church processionswhich included music; the

market square was ofen defined

by the horn players that breathedlie into the place. Even the

sounds o everyday lie couldbe thought o as music. It was

everywhere.

Jan van Eyck, as was mentionedearlier, was a very influential

painter in Flemish art. His workhas helped us to broaden our

Figure 67- Te betrothalRetrieved rom wga.hu

Figure 68-Musical mRetrieved rom best2013.eu/ve

understanding o Bruges andits position in the culture o

th E p d i th

organ and, i examined closely,one can see that she is aboutt p th k F C d A


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northern Europe during thethirteenth, ourteenth, and

fifeenth centuries. One o hismost amous works, the GhentAltarpieceorAdoration o the

Mystic Lamb, was commissionedor a cathedral in Ghent, Belgium

and was finished in 1432 inBruges. Tought to have been

designed alongside his brotherHubert, who died in 1426, it tells

the story through 12 different

panels, eight o which on hingedshutters, o a more orgiving andmerciul God than was depicted

in many paintings createdduring the Medieval period. Tework plays with time and space

through many different subjectsand images within the painting

itsel. One panel in particularshows an angel playing the

to press the keys F, C and A.Reinhard Strohm, a German

musicologist who has taught atKings College, Yale University,

and Oxord University describesthe panel in this way, Te time

lapse between her action andthe perception o the chord is

extended to eternity (Strohm,1985). Right beyond her,

another angel is about to play aviol but is resting, while a third

angel, plays the harp and keepscount o the musical measure

with her fingers on her partnersshoulder. Four panels to the

lef o the three angels, anothergroup o angels are seen singing

polyphonic music. Tese twopanels, among other images

included within the painting,speak to a precise musical

Figure 69-Mystic lambRetrieved rom allart.biz

Figure 70- St. bavo caRetrieved rom 8houradventu

measure in which the wholepainting takes place.

Te oath that Giovanni Arnolfiniis taking is promised or a

lietime not or eternity Te idea


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A second painting by van Eyck,Arnolfini Portrait, finished in

1434 is considered a documento ceremony which took place

in Bruges in 1434. It showsGiovanni Arnolfini raising

his right hand and takingthe oath to marry GiovannaCenami, who stands beside

him, pregnant, with a dog attheir eet. On the back wall o

the Bruges townhouse shown inthe painting, you see the phrase

scribed in Flemish, Johannesvan Eyck was here. Right

below is a mirror that showsthe reflection o the townhouse

in which the ceremony istaking place, as well two people

standing in the doorway, thepainter himsel and a witness.

lietime, not or eternity. Te ideathat at some point the subjectswill cease to exist and the oathwill be no longer pertinent, issymbolized by the one candle

that is burning in the chandelierabove them. It too will dissipate

given time. Te very nature owhat the painting is, a document

o ceremony, along with vanEycks attention to detail and

moments o the ceremony, places

this image in a very particularmoment.

A third painting, St. JohnAltarpiece by Hans Memling and

finished in Bruges in 1440, isalso described in Strohms book

as such, that delicate momentwhen the child was about to

touch the finger o the youngFigure 71-Arnolfini

Retrieved rom lesmaterialistes.comFigure 72-Arnolfini Retrieved rom educa.madrid

princess. Mystic suspense andhappy leisure are juxtaposed, asSt. Barbara keeps reading her

hectic business, disordersand violence cry out rompage afer page in the

so have the music and thesong o the nightingale in

the orchard. And yet, these

relevant to the culture o theregion like it once was, however,

it is not so or its present day


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St. a ba a eeps ead g eBook o Hours, and a smilingchild-angel enjoys the soundo the portative organ whichhe is playing. Strohm goes onto explain all three o thesepaintings in a way that describeshow they can relate us to the cityand how the city relates us to thepast and to today.

Tese pictures also

encapsulate motion andspace. We are aware thatthe townscape o Brugesis just beyond - or rather,on our side o the picture,acing them. Here, wherewe stand now and look atthe pictures, these were thepeople, the houses and theactivities o a city whose

page afer page in thearchives. It is strange thatthe works o the paintershave come to resemble morethe Bruges o today - apeaceul and orderly townwhos medieval architecturespells nostalgia - than thato the fifeenth century: theliveliest, wealthiest and mostcomplex urban communityo North-Western Europe.

It was the home o morethan 30,000 people - princes,priests, riars, soldiers,housewives, prostitutes,artists and artisans, bankersand beggars. Te noises othe marketplace, the inns,the workshops, the stock-exchange, the public baths- they have all died, and

the orchard. And yet, thesesounds have shaped the

townscape, contributing toits order and to its disorder.

Te sound o music is stillrozen in the shapes o

Bruges(Strohm, 1985).

It is through these thingsthemselves, some located in thearchives, some in the museums,some in the churches, and s ome

just residing in the rigmarole oeveryday lie and city tradition,

that we are reminded o this r ichhistory and time.

oday, Bruges is a city thathas regained its identity as asuccessul port city but it is

mostly dominated by tourism.Te city is again lively and

it is not so or its present dayactivities or productions that

happen within the city currently.While very well preserved and

beautiul, or as Strohm explainsa peaceul and orderly townwhos medieval architecture

spells nostalgia, it has anopportunity to reawaken itsel

and become an inspiring cityrecognized not just or its history

but or its uture.

Figure 73- Lucca choirbookRetrieved rom Music in Late Medieval Bruges

Figure 74- Te beRetrieved rom wga.hu

GOALS FORPROJEC

Te goal o this thesis project,on a personal level, is to explorewhat it means to merge music

always wanted to go down everysingle one I saw. As my idea

evolved o what the project could

o the program and the city, I sawsomething that I elt was lackingwithin Bruges. When I was there


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gand architecture together. AsIve always been ascinatedwith both and continue to seemany parallels between thetwo, I would like to explorethe relationship even urther.Bruges was picked as a site orthe project because, upon visitingthe city, I was immediately inawe o the history demonstratedthrough the architecture, in

addition to the shear densityo the medieval city. Narrowalley spaces served as a majorinspiration or the project andcould maybe even be thoughto as the reason why I choseto do this project there in thefirst place. I love the crampednature o these alleyways and thecuriosity they evoked in me as I

p jbe, I imagine that my desire to

live there began to take over.

Approaching the project moreacademically, I still look to mypersonal intentions to inorm

this direction. I realized throughmy schooling that the more I

just go with my gut on things,the better my projects turn

out. Fighting a will with a ear

o not wanting to get too closeto something can be just as

dangerous as getting too close.With my love o music and mylove o architecture, creating a

space that would merge the twoand provide a space within that

relationship or someone likeme to participate gets me very

excited. But aside rom my love

gI never elt like there was an

established industry beyond theport activities or tourism, and

upon urther research, I realizedthat music and art were huge

influences on its development inthe Middle Ages. So, merging artand architecture seemed like theperect fit or a city that seems tolack an identity rooted in what ishappening today within its walls.

As ar as my proessional skillsgo, I wanted to work more on myresearch skills, and specifically inunderstanding the history o theproession itsel. I do believe thatI have broadened my knowledge

in such areas and am moreprepared to enter the workorcethan I was several months ago.

Figure 75- Channel orangePhoto by Isaac Karley

Te last several months, whichhave ocused on the designaspect and BIM modeling have

and merge graphics with a stronghistorical knowledge to createimages beyond the standard


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been key or me in strengtheningmy skills in such applications.In a proessional world that ispushing arther and arther intoprograms like Revit, I believethat it is important or me tonot only be competent in thoseprograms but to understandtheir capabilities and restrictionsbetter than the averagearchitecture student in order to

be competitive anywhere I wantwithin the job market. Withthat being said, I would like tolearn how to use the applicationsin ways that not only help medesign the building but help mecommunicate somehow what itmight be like to be in the spaceitsel. I would like to use theseprograms with other techniques,

rendering that we see so ofenused to realize or understandthe building.

When I think about what myultimate goal o the project is,it doesnt necessarily fit withinthe realm o personal, academic,nor proessional. Te goal is tosimply communicate my ideas.In everyday lie, whether youre

at home talking to a loved one,at work talking to a client, ormaking a piece o art, you areconstantly trying to figureout the most effective way tocommunicate to whomever youare speaking to. Communicationis paramount and can go a l ongway or someone i they are goodat it.

Figure 76- Bruges at nightRetrieved rom hotelnavarra.com


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SIE ANALYSIS

SIE NARRAIVE A Site visit rom March 4, 2013:

Te site seems kind o small.It ld d t b ti

I wonder what could workthere? Tere doesnt seem

like there would be too mucht b i i d b th

there? Is it because it is sotight and there seems to benothing or anyone to hide

b hi d? I d t ll k


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It would need to be an entirebuilding taking up the site.I think? Te acade wouldalmost have to be somethingthat is completely the sameas the surrounding. All theother buildings that havebeen created in the areaseem to have a acade thatcompletely matches but therest o the building doesnt

seem like it needs to fit in.I dont want to start makingany decisions now. Allthe shops around the areaseemed to close at about6pm. Te street was prettybusy during the day with allthe souvenir shops aroundbut seemed pretty quiet aferthe sun started going down.

space to be inspired by thealleyway and turn that intoa major design part. Maybe

something that splits thebuilding and empties into acourtyard in the back o the

lot. Maybe something thatmirrors the other side o thestreet. Might want to figure

out what else is aroundthere. Should do some

checking on stuff to see whatI got today. Something about

the streets and the alleys isthat they arent completely

straight. Tey curve ever soslightly, maybe that carriesyou through. Is it becauseyou cant see anything o

what is at the end but youknow that something is back

behind? I dont really know.It eels like a airytale land

though. It really does. Somany people around but

its a bunch o older peopleor others on holiday it eels

like. Im not sure what to dowith it. Well see.

Upon my initial impressionso the site, I thought it looked

small and was not quite sure ithere was enough space to place

a thesis project on it. However,I now believe there definitely

is. Te building that was therebeore was a five story hostel

and had some shops on the firstfloor. Te site is surrounded bydifferent shops and restaurants

and is down the street rom twoFigure 77- Bruges at night

Photo by Isaac KarleyFigure 78- CourtyardPhoto by Isaac Karley

major tourist attractions withinthe city. One is Te Church oOur Lady, which is on the sameside o the street and is just

o the site. Tat street is hometo private residences and a ew

small business, like dental offices.


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side o the street and is justbeyond the river to the northo the site. On the other side othe street, also to the north, sitsone o Europes oldest hospitals,St. Johns Hospital. It is now amuseum but houses some o themost amous paintings rom thearea, including Memlings St.John Altarpieceas was discussedearlier in the book. Te river

eatures requent riverboattours all year round as touristswalk down the historic streets,stopping at chocolate shopsand lace shops. Tere is a streetdirectly to the north o thesite that actually has a garageentrance that carries rom thestreet, under the buildings, andopens up on the northern edge

Figure 79- Dream bridgePhoto by Isaac Karley

QUALIAIVE SIE ASPECS

SIE FEAURES Te site itsel is a blank slate thatis surrounded by a collection

WAERA river that is used exclusivelyor travel and tourism is located

hal a block north o the site.


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LIGH

VEGEAION

Te majority o the sunlightwould be taken into the buildingrom the street-side acade.Te top floors might be able tograb more sunlight, i sittinghigh enough, but the building issurrounded by other buildings.

yo private residences, publicbusinesses, and two courtyards.Tere was previously a buildingexisting, a five-storey hostel, onthe site but it is no longer there.

Tere is vegetation that isprevalent in the courtyards bothto the south and the east o thesite but is non-existent along thestreets due to the dense nature othe city.

HUMANCHARACERISICS

DISRESS

WINDTe site itsel is pretty shelteredbut does get wind that travels

over the buildings and down thestreets.

Te site is surrounded by apreviously built environment,

one that has been there orhundreds and hundreds o years,

since the medieval times.

Te building that was therebeore was demolished andthere is currently an e mpty

hole that takes up the site. Itwill be important to not disturb

the buildings around it whenexcavating.

Figure 80- Sunny canalPhoto by Isaac Karley

QUALIAIVE SIE ASPECS

SOIL No soil inormation is oundat this time as it has proven to

PEDESRIAN RAFFICPedestrians walk on thesidewalks and enter into different

shops and restaurants alongthe road. During the day, the


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90

WAER QUALIY

UILIIES

VEHICULAR RAFFIC

OPOGRAPHIC SURVEY

Te resh water supply iscontaminated by the merging osaltwater but is easily treatable.

be difficult to obtain Flemishrecords and reports.

Utilities are currently on the siteand readily available.

Vehicular traffic is somewhatsteady and requent along theroad in ront o the site. Speedsrarely exceed 20 or 25mph as thestreets are narrow and pedestriantraffic is high.

Tere is the slightest upward

slope reaching to the north-west rom the site but is almostnon-existent.

SIE CHARACER

VISUAL FORM

sidewalks are usually anywhererom 50%-75% ull.

Te visual orm o the site isdominated by the neo-gothic

acades that line the streetsacross rom and near the site.

Te site is, again, dominatedby neo-Gothic architecture

that was constructed betweenthe eleventh and seventeenth

centuries. It is a shoppingdistrict, as is most o the city,

and is dominated by tourism andsmall local businesses.

Figure 81- Side streetPhoto by Isaac Karley


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Figure 83- Figure/groundFigure by Isaac Karley

92 Figure 82- City squareRetrieved rom ivopopov.be

CLIMAE DAAGRAPHS


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Figure 84- Sun hoursFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 85- Wind speedFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 86- Relative humidityFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 87- PrecipitationFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 88-Average temperatureFigure by Isaac Karley

94

Figure 94- Wind directionFigure by Isaac Karley


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96

Figure 89- Summer solsticeFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 90- EquinoxFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 91- Winter solsticeFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 92- Sun path diagramFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 93- Wind roseFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 95- Noise & topographyFigure by Isaac Karley


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98 Figure 96- NW site cornerPhoto by Isaac Karley


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100 Figure 97- SW site cornerPhoto by Isaac Karley


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102 Figure 98- South site edgePhoto by Isaac Karley


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104

100

99

Figure 99- Site alley backPhoto by Isaac Karley

Figure 100- Site alleyPhoto by Isaac Karley


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106 Figure 101- View southPhoto by Isaac Karley


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108

103

102

Figure 102- View northPhoto by Isaac Karley

Figure 103- North street photoPhoto by Isaac Karley

PRE-DESIGNPROGRAMMAIC

REQUIREMENS

Museum - 6,000 sq. f.Hostel rooms - 4,000 sq. f.Public kitchen - 100 sq. f.Studio space - 6,000 sq. f.Perormance space - 4,000 sq. f.i k ti 100 f


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icketing - 100 sq. f.Entrance - 300 sq. f.Public bathrooms - 1,000 sq. f.Classrooms/breakout rooms,private room - 2,000 sq. f.Administration - 1,000 sq. eetCirculation - 3,000 sq. f.Mechanical - 3,500 sq. f.Maintenance/laundry - 3,000 sq.f.

Bike storage - 100 sq. f.Parking & entrance - 2,000 sq. f.Retail - 2,000 sq. f.Roofop patio - 6,000 sq. f.

Figure 104- o city centerRetrieved rom d s-lands.com

SUDIO SPACE

HOSEL ROOMS

PERFORMANCE

PUBLIC KICHEN

ICKEING

LOUNGE ESSENIAL

DESIRABLE

NON-ESSENIAL

Perormance Museum

Classrooms

icketing

Bike Storage

Entrance

Parking /


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PUBLIC BAHROOMS

MAINENANCE

CLASSROOMS

BIKE SORAGE

ADMINISRAION

PARKING & ENRANCE

CIRCULAION

ENRANCE

REAILROOFOP PAIO

MUSEU

M

PUBLIC

BATHRO

OMS

STUD

IOSPACE

MAINT

ENAN

CE

HOSTELR

OOMS

CLASSR

OOMS

PERF

ORM

ANCE

BIKE

STOR

AGE

PUBLIC

KITCHEN

ADMINISTR

ATION

TICKETIN

G

PARK

ING&EN

TRAN

CE

LOUN

GE

CIRC

ULATION

ENTR

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RETAIL

Hostels

Admin.

Lounge

PublicKitchen

Classrooms

Patio

Bike Storage

Studios

Parking /Entrance

112 Figure 105- Pre-design matrixFigure by Isaac Karley

Figure 106- Pre-design spFigure by Isaac Karley


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DESIGN

As stated earlier, the arteactwas used as a tool to bridgepast Bruges with how it canbe interpreted today. Te lightnature o the arteact wassomething that became a heavy

technology has led us to gpossibilities with recordincreating sounds, and idea

advanced to give us mdraw rom, but overall, the

eeling can be achieved

HE AREFAC


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g yinfluence on the design o thebuilding. Something became veryinteresting about taking a pieceo music and figuring out how tocapture the sight o it in the spacebetween. Another interestingpiece o the arteact that playeda significant role on the designwas the idea o modern-day

technology merging with and re-interpreting old music and ideas.Te piece o music by JacobObrecht distorted and madevisible on the wall by a highlyanimated laser was an interestingsight to see, but most effectivelycommunicated that music hasntchanged all that much. Obviously

gpiece whether it was writte

or five hundred yea

Figure 107-Arteact set-upRetrieved rom d s-lands.com

Figure 108-Arteact Photo by Isaac Karley

In 1985, a ormer Oxordproessor named ReinhardStrohm published a book calledMusic in Late Medieval Bruges.In the second paragraph o thefirst chapter, he begins to tell

In the passage, Strohm speaks oan eternity, one created by thesubject o the painting and the

action she is about to complete.Tough he speaks o a finite

moment in which the painting is

PAINING ASINSPIRAION


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p gthe story o music in Brugesthrough these different pieces oart created towards the end o theMedieval period:

In the Ghent panels byHubert and Jan van Eyck,an angel is seen playing theorgan: she is about to press

the keys F, c and a. Te timelapse between her action andthe perception o the chordis extended to eternity (...)Musical measure determinesthe precise moment in timein which the whole picture isset (Strohm, 1985).

p gsupposed to take place, through

a perceived musical measure, theeternity occurs only because

the viewer is never actually ableto hear any o the sounds that

would take place i the paintingbecame a reality and time were

to progress. So, the perception othe sound must occur through

the viewers imagination.

PAINING ASFACADE

Te building begins to take shapeas i the painting were projectedonto the ront o it. Te Chordstarts on the acade o thebuilding, on the right side, wherethe organ player sits in respect


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to the rest o the panels. Teglass o Te Chord juts out othe acade and extends throughthe building, passing underthe larger concrete structures,like musical notes would passthe staffs in a piece o music.Tere are eight o these concretestructures, creating seven

openings that rame the sky andpoint to the heavens, signiyingthe seven hours o prayer thatstructured the citizens daysduring the period in which theGhent Altarpiecewas created.Te only moments the sky wouldbe visible rom the lower levelso the building, would be in thepath direct path o Te Chord. Figure 110- MusicCollage by Isaac Karley

Figure 109- Te ChordRendering by Isaac Karley

R.R.

LOUNGE

Te lower level is where theconcerts would take place. Southo the main hall, there is a storagespace or different equipment andart to be held when the spaces arebeing used or different events.N h h i

LOWER LEVEL Figure 113- Lower level planPlan by Isaac Karley

Figure 112 - Perormance stageRendering by Isaac Karley


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PERFORMANCE/GALLERY

MECH.

North o the main concert spaceis a lounge or the visiting artiststo relax beore their concert ithey so choose. Te smaller stairsthat occurs between the loungeand the exhibit space would beor used or a private entrance orthe artists, as well as emergencyegress or the public, which

supplements the other fire-ratedstairs in the southwest corner.Te lower level also houses themechanical room that wouldhold the necessary e quipment toheat and cool the building.

Figure 111- Concert sectionRendering by Isaac Karley

PERFORMANCEAs a perormance space, thismain concert hall is meant to

serve as a smaller venue (capacity180 persons) to offer the public aspace to see mainstream acts that

wouldnt have the opportunityto perorm in the larger concert


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to perorm in the larger concerthall located just directly outside

the citys inner ring. Tis elemento the program offers artists

the opportunity to create theirmusic on the upper floors o the

building and perorm it on thelower level.

Figure 115- Night perormanceRendering by Isaac Karley

Figure 114- Day perormanceRendering by Isaac Karley

Te street level o the buildingserves many different unctionsas well, but remains entirely opento the public. Te entry o thebuilding offers an initial viewdown Te Chord but turnsthe public away and unnels

SREE LEVEL

VEHICLE ENRY

Figure 117- Street level planPlan by Isaac Karley

Figure 116 - Entrance view

Rendering by Isaac Karley


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the public away and unnelsthem past reception and into thebuilding. During concerts, themain floor would become a placeto sell concessions, drinks, andmerchandise, as well as providean upper level to watch the show.Te building is pulled away romthe surrounding structures,

creating 1 meter wide alleys oneither side.

PERFORMANCEGALLERY BELOW

ENRY

RECEPION/ICKEING

CONCESSIONS

Te second level o the buildingwould be used by a mix o thegeneral public and the peoplewho would work in the building.A conerence room is locatedon this floor, with views o theperormance/gallery space below,

2nd LEVEL

CONFERENCE

Figure 119- Second level planPlan by Isaac Karley

Figure 118 - Listening lounge



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perormance/gallery space below,and would be used to meet withthe public or incoming artists.It is at this point, on the secondfloor, where Te Chord startsbecoming suspended throughoutthe structure. A glass floor wouldallow you to cross rom onefloor plate to another without

obstructing view down TeChord rom other points inthe building. Tis floor wouldalso eature a lounge where thepublic could listen to music othe artists choosing, offering adifferent way to experience theart in such a public structure.

ADMINISRAION

LI

PERFORMANCEGALLERY BELOW

Te third level is where the actualart would be created. While themixing room is located directlyacross Te Chord rom the liveroom and the isolation booths(where artists would recordvocals), artists are demanded

3rd LEVEL

ISO BOOHS

Figure 120 - Vocal booth


Figure 121- Tird level planPlan by Isaac Karley


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),to collaborate and create theirown music across the buildingsChord. Te distance createdby this major design element isreconnected only by the artistscollaborating with one anotherand creating the art, transcendingthe physical space the users are

limited by. While the sound romthe lower levels seeps up betweenthe spaces in the floor andsurrounds these rooms, they arethe only spaces in the buildingwhere sound is completelycontained within themselves.Tis is done to provide the bestrecording quality possible.

LIVE ROOM

MIXING ROOM


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Figure 123-MixinCollage by Isaac Karley

Figure 122- Live roomRendering by Isaac Karley

132

Tis floor offers the final pieceo the program. wo apartmentsare located on this top floor tooffer places or different artists tostay during their trip to Bruges.Tey are located at the top tooffer the most amount o privacy

d h h b l

4th LEVEL Figure 125- Fourth level planPlan by Isaac Karley

Figure 124 - Artist studio



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necessary and have the abilityto exit out the back northeastcorner o the building. Tis exitand stair would be completelyprivate to the artists andbuildings staff. It is completelynecessary to offer these artists aplace to stay in order to make the

building become a destinationthat allows them to ocusentirely on creating in such tightquarters.

APARMEN 2

Sections and floor plans othis building were drawn ina relatively simple manner asbasic line drawings. Architects,like musicians o today, speak otheir medium through notation5.It is through simple lines and

t th t

ARCHIECURE ASNOAION


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notes on a paper that we candetermine what a space mighteel or sound like. It is by makingconnections like this that we canbegin to draw even more detailedsimilarities between the twodisciplines and start to see themas inter-related to one another.

Figure 126- NDrawing by Isaac K

MECHANICALCHASE

SYSEMSTe mechanical room, locatedat the ront o the building on

the lower level, would houseall the necessary equipment

or the heating and cooling othe building. Te ductworkand piping would enter the

ceiling and be distributed to the


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MECHANICALROOM

MECHANICALAIR SPACE

SORAGE

CREAEDALLEY

ceiling and be distributed to thedifferent concrete structures

where a chase would allowthe necessary equipment to be

distributed to different floors andspaces throughout the entirety

o the structure. Te heatingand cooling units would need

to be controlled throughout thebuilding using separate zones, asthe building houses residential

units and spaces, like the studioand isolation booths, that would

need extreme control overtemperature and sound.

Figure 128 - HVDrawing by Isaac Kar

Figure 127- HVAC sectionRendering by Isaac Karley

SRUCURE

Going along Te Chord, thelarger floor plates begin to looklike pristine white keys c utting

through the entire buildingrom ront to back. In order

to preserve the holistic nature

Tis gesture was done or tworeasons: 1) o simply give therecording and mixing spaces

more room vertically withouthaving to raise the height o

the entire building; and 2) o

Figure 129- Structure sectionRendering by Isaac Karley


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po the way they are viewed

through such an open plan, itwas necessary to separate smaller

spaces rom the larger floorstructures. Tis is noticeable

in the conerence room, wherethe floor appears to be floating

and the glass does not touchthe ceiling. Tis element o a

floating floor gives the effecto notes on top o the larger

structure. Tis differs however,on the third floor (the studio

spaces), where the notes appearas isolated boxes sunken into thekeys o the main floor structures.

g; )differentiate the program on this

particular level. Te sinking othese spaces was inspired by the

arteact, which showcases thespaces where the new music is

being created. By dropping themdown and creating a separation

rom the pristine white natureo rest o the building, the actual

structure becomes apparentthrough the drastically vibrantcolors o the steel beams. Tis

speaks to the mythical-likeaesthetic qualities o the city

being separated to reveal thatwhich supports it, the art and the

music created within Bruges.


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PROCESS MODELS


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144 PROCESS MODELS Figures 130-149- ProcPhotos by Isaac Karley


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FINAL PRESENAION


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166 FINAL PRESENTATION Figures 150-160- PresentatioPhotos by Isaac Karley


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1. Tough the quote does reerence something I said to someone when I first traveled toBruges, it is a quote taken directly rom the movie In Bruges. Te first paragraph describes amix between what was described during a scene in the movie and how I view the city duringthe initial moments we encountered it.

2. Te term polymath is defined as a person o great learning in several different fields ostudy (polymath, 2014). Kirchers study o music and sound made up only a small portiono his body o work. Te amount o writings and research he created has been unparalleledsince his lietime. See Oedipus Aegyptiacus, one o his most notable works.

NOES

5. Until quite recently, music was not something that was experienced through awritten orm, it was only something that could be understood through physicallyhearing or eeling the music itsel. Tis new way o experiencing the music requiresthe viewer to imaginethe experience o the sound based on what they already knowabout musical notation. Tis, o course, is quite similar to architectural drawings, as acertain type o knowledge and translation is necessary in order to view the simple linesand understand what they represent, a built orm. While architectural and musicalnotation are definitely orms in which we can begin to understand their respectivephysical maniestations, it must be noted that we are still moved by the spaces andthings they represent more than the notation itsel


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3. Tese ideas are set up and elaborated on through the writings o several differentastronomers, philosophers and theorists in Joscelyn Godwins book Harmony o the Spheres.

4. Exce

Bruges, Music, and the Space Between: An Architectural Thesis

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