The Voice and Architecture: Translating the Fundamentals of Vocal Mechanism in the Design of a Music Performance Hall Facility

Abstract

The project is an exploration in converging the fundamentals of the vocal mechanism and architecture, especially the design of a music and performance hall facility. The research investigates the processes of vocal production, traces the fundamental components that govern the system, and translates these components into architectural form, function, and experiences. The project proposes a methodological design approach that defines the essential elements of vocal generation into architectural variables. Design principles from various case studies pertaining to performance hall building typology assist in outlining the programmatic and schematic design of the project. The project intends to broaden the relationship between the human body and the built environment. The voice, which is the primary tool for human interaction, is explored in relation to building designs which serve as pieces of evidence in the continuance and invigoration of experiences within the built environment. Finally, the project will provide a building design for the Music Department of the University of Hawaiʽi at Mānoa to evaluate the validity of the methodology. The design outcome aims to resonate the processes of vocal production and establish a facility that bridges the school to its community through music and the arts.