Spaces Speak, Are You Listening?: Experiencing Aural Architecture

by Barry Blesser, Linda-Ruth Salter

We experience spaces not only by seeing but also by listening. We can navigate a room in the dark, and "hear" the emptiness of a house without furniture. Our experience of music in a concert hall depends on whether we sit in the front row or under the balcony. The unique acoustics of religious spaces acquire symbolic meaning. Social relationships are strongly influenced by the way that space changes sound. In Spaces Speak, Are You Listening? , Barry Blesser and Linda-Ruth Salter examine auditory spatial experiencing space by attentive listening. Every environment has an aural architecture.The audible attributes of physical space have always contributed to the fabric of human culture, as demonstrated by prehistoric multimedia cave paintings, classical Greek open-air theaters, Gothic cathedrals, acoustic geography of French villages, modern music reproduction, and virtual spaces in home theaters. Auditory spatial awareness is a prism that reveals a culture's attitudes toward hearing and space. Some listeners can learn to "see" objects with their ears, but even without training, we can all hear spatial geometry such as an open door or low ceiling. Integrating contributions from a wide range of disciplines -- including architecture, music, acoustics, evolution, anthropology, cognitive psychology, audio engineering, and many others -- Spaces Speak, Are You Listening? establishes the concepts and language of aural architecture. These concepts provide an interdisciplinary guide for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of how space enhances our well-being. Aural architecture is not the exclusive domain of specialists. Accidentally or intentionally, we all function as aural architects.

Genres: Architecture, Music, Research

456 pages, Unknown Binding

First published October 27, 2006

Reviews

[Jeff Szymanski · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was initially looking forward to this book. The concept, to me - a bona fide acoustics geek - seemed interesting. Unfortunately, the book failed to deliver. While there are snippets of great information in the book, the authors seemed to repeat themselves too often to keep things moving at a healthy pace. I felt the book could have been at least half as long and it would have still lived up to the authors' intentions.

I disliked what I felt was the overuse of analogy in several chapters. Many times, the setup to a discussion, anecdote, or example was more interesting than the discussion, anecdote, or example itself. The last chapter or two were a real struggle, with the very last chapter being more of a philosophical discussion of evolution with (IMO) very little tying it back to acoustics and aural architecture.

In short, I would recommend this book only to the most die-hard acoustics fans. Lay readers will not gain much from the dry treatment of the subject matter. The best audience is probably students of human perception and psychophysics. Professionals in the audio and acoustics industries should definitely be aware of the subject matter, but I would probably recommend they read the various journal papers published by Blesser (e.g., in JAES), as opposed to this book.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sonic media, as a discipline, is innovative and emerging. This book is an inter-disciplinary discussion of sonic spaces and auditory cultures. There is a history - and indeed a pre-history - of sound presented, alongside an understanding of how senses enable both perception and consciousness.

With attention to acoustics and anthropology, this is a fine book to enter the complex subject of aural architecture.

[Onur Engin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In their book, “Aural Architecture,” Barry Blesser and Linda Ruth Salter argue that the acoustic properties of a space, or aural architecture, can have significant impact on our perceptions, actions, and emotions. They suggest that aural architecture should be considered alongside visual architecture in terms of its aesthetics, symbolism, and social meaning. In the first chapter, the authors examine the relationship between aural architecture and cultural studies, while the second chapter focuses on concepts such as the acoustic horizon and auditory channel that contribute to our “auditory spatial awareness.” The authors also discuss the influence of technology on our public and private auditory spaces, and the potential for increased auditory awareness to improve social experiences. The interdisciplinary approach of the book, drawing on the fields of architecture, engineering, and social science, adds depth to the analysis of the complex interaction between sound, space, and humans. The introduction of this book has sparked further questions about the role of aural architecture in auditory history, and I anticipate that the upcoming chapters will provide further insight into this topic.

[snobbess sphaeritalius]

Thank you MIT Press (and Mark! it's been so long)...it was just what I needed right now

[Cambra · Rating 2 out of 5]

blind mountain biking!

otherwise, SNORE.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

eh.

[Vinnie]

interesting, but dry dry dry dry dry. I couldn't get through.

[Ana Peraica]

Enjoyed reading, there are plenty of hard acoustic and perceptual psychology theories explained in a manner accessible to a general humanist studies reader.