LIBRARY OF SOUND
2nd Year Studio Project
2nd Year Studio Project
The project for the spring semester of my second year was an adaptive reuse of an old industrial shed located in Pittsburgh, Pa. The shed was currently being used as a storage space for a local construction company, housing large machinery and some building materials. The structure of the shed was designed to support heavy industrial equipment and still carried a large crane. The exterior enclosure was a corrugated metal sheathing which had small amounts of damage and areas of rusting.
Our challenge was to rethink this large vacant shed by incorporating a library which focused on at least one of the five senses. The program for the library had to incorporate several spaces which could house the information related to your sense or senses. This could mean books, computers for digital information, or even stimuli directly related to the senses, and we were encouraged to push the limits of what this meant. The library also needed to incorporate typical programmatic spaces such as restrooms and a lobby/entrance space.
The floor space needed for this program only took up approximately 1/5 of the floor area within the shed, however we were encouraged to utilize all of the shed by some other means.
The floor space needed for this program only took up approximately 1/5 of the floor area within the shed, however we were encouraged to utilize all of the shed by some other means.
My solution for this project examines our understanding of space and architecture through our sense of hearing. On the structure of the exterior shed, I proposed that small contact microphones could be attached to amplify all of the forces and vibrations which enacted on the structure on a daily basis. These sounds would constantly play as ambient noise within the shed, except within the library where it would become an area of audible relief using sound dampening materials. This comparison would allow users to understand audibly what is happening to the shed physically.
This relationship would create activity throughout the expanse of the shed, which could then be understood and researched by entering the spaces within the library. The structure of the library is a triangulated steel pipe frame which could be prefabricated. This frame would then be covered by dual sided acoustic panelling and filled with insulation which could absorb the ambient sound of the shed and create area for reflection. This triangulated wall system would also be able to fold, creating book shelves, seating, stairs, and a number of other functional surfaces.
