Katherine Graham

How do sound and space interact?

Kat Graham

Research + Site

I spent the last 2 semesters exploring the compositional similarities between space and music, looking at how the meaning of words like rhythm, harmony, and emotion is conveyed in these mediums, as well as how physical architectural forms change and direct sound quality

To apply this research, I took on the modern office, a space where acoustic experience is often an afterthought. For the purpose of this exercise, my client is an imaginary, generic sales company, located on the top floor of a generic office building in downtown Cincinnati.

They have around 20 employees with no assigned desks, encouraging their employees to utilize the alternative work spaces throughout the office.

Programming

By dividing the space into the basic functional and programmatic needs of this office— reception, solo work, open collaboration, private meeting space, and social space— I was able to isolate the different acoustic needs for each zone.

Creating a closed mass in the center of the office to hold the private, enclosed spaces created a clear circulation around the perimeter to arrange the others. I used the central mass as well as the ceiling plane to create forms which delineate each zone as well as help control the different acoustic needs.

1

N-S 1 1/16" = 1'-0"

N-S 2 1/16" = 1'-0" N-S 1 1 1/16" = 1'-0" 2

3

Diagonal 1/16" = 1'-0"

2

N-S 2 1/16" = 1'-0"

3

Diagonal 1/16" = 1'-0"

Zone 1- Reception In the reception area, pulling the ceiling down at the back of the space creates a sense of division.

Using an acoustic treatment here, as well as wrapping the desk in acoustic fabric, helps keep the normal sounds of this space contained. The use of carpeting and cork flooring throughout the space provides an extra layer of acoustic control that other materials, such as wood and concrete, do not.

Zone 1- Solo Work

In the solo work area, I created pod structures wrapped in acoustic fabric.

These help to isolate the user from outside noise and cut down on sound transmission between the individual work zones. I then added an acoustic treatment peeling down from the ceiling to further dampen the noise levels.

Zone 3- Social Space

The back of the building acts as a social area, which is pulled away from the other spaces with the center form beginning to act as a sound buffer. This space should be slightly noisier to encourage casual interaction, so I added acoustic wood baffles to the ceiling to cut down on noise without fully quieting the space.

Zone 4- Open Collaboration

In the open collaboration area, I designed pods which come out of the walls and are wrapped in a textured acoustic treatment. This heightens the sense of privacy while keeping them open to the rest of the space. Saturating these forms in a single color helps to carve them out of the walls without disrupting the flow of the circulation space.

Zone 5- Private Meeting spaces

Finally, the center mass holds a conference room, huddle rooms, two 1-on-1 video conferencing spaces, and a 2-person meeting booth. The ceilings of each space are molded after the acoustic forms I studied at the beginning of the semester, sloping or curving to shape the sounds of the rooms.

Covering the walls, floor, and ceiling in the same shade of blue distinguishes this mass from the rest of the space.

Thank you.