soundspace

Transcription

soundspace

PARAMETRIC STUDY OF SOUND PROPAGATION IN A CONCERT HALL
SOUNDSPACE
soundspace
EPFL ENAC SAR
ÉNONCÉ THÉORIQUE
OSAMU MOSER
LAUSANNE 11 01 2010
PARAMETRIC STUDY OF SOUND PROPAGATION IN A CONCERT HALL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ii

I. PREFACE
XI
i.i. Problematics
xi
i.ii. Field of interest
xii
i.iii. Methodology
xiii
1. HISTORY OF SOUND SPACE
4
1.1. From Greeks to Modernity
4
1.2. Greek and Roman period (650BC - 400AD)
7
1.2.1. Theater and odea
7
1.2.2. Early acoustical knowledge
7
1.3. Early Christian period (400 - 800)
9
1.3.1. Church
9
1.3.2. Monody
9
1.4. Romanesque Period (800 - 1100)
10
1.4.1. Church
10
1.4.2. Organum
10
1.5. Gothic period (1100 - 1400)
11
1.5.1. Gothic cathedral
11
1.5.2. Plainchant, polyphony and miracle play
11
1.6. Renaissance (1400 - 1600)
13
1.6.1. Renaissance church and theater
13
iii
iv
1.7. Baroque period (1600 - 1750)
15
1.7.1. Baroque church, theater and opera
15
1.7.2. Speech, Baroque and instrumental music
16
1.8. Classical period (1750 - 1825)
17
1.8.1. Concert hall and opera
17
1.8.2. Classical music
17
1.9. Romantic period (1825 - 1900)
19
1.9.1. Shoebox halls
19
1.9.2. Romantic music and acoustical knowledge
19
1.10. Modernity (1900 - today)
21
1.10.1. Concert halls and theaters
21
1.10.2. Modern acoustics
21
2. ACOUSTIC SPACE ANALYSIS
27
2.1. Selection samples
27
2.1.1. Concert halls and opera houses of the world
27
2.1.2. Selected concert halls and theaters
29
2.2. Type analysis
31
2.2.1. Comments for the type analysis diagram
34
2.3. Shape analysis
35
2.4. Seating arrangement
40
2.5. Section analysis
44

2.5.1. Section types
44
2.5.2. Comments for the section analysis diagram
44
2.6. Conclusion of the analysis
48
3. ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS
53
3.1. Fundamentals of acoustics
53
3.1.1. Physical definition of sound
53
3.1.2. Representations of a single sound wave
54
3.1.3. Representation of multiple sound waves
54
3.1.4. Frequency
55
3.1.5. Absorption and reflection
55
3.1.6. Perception of sound
55
3.2. Measurable parameters
56
3.2.1. Reverberation time
56
3.2.2. Loudness
58
3.3. Number of seats
59
3.4. Further measurable parameters
60
3.4.1. Intimacy
60
3.4.2. Warmth
61
3.4.3. Envelopment
62
3.5. Conclusion on architectural acoustics
62
v
vi
4. CONCERT HALL ENGINE
67
4.1. Introduction to the engine
67
4.2. The different applets of the engine
70
4.2.1. Volume
70
4.2.2. Stage area
70
4.2.3. Stage walls
70
4.2.4. Balcony section
71
4.2.5. Embracing walls
71
4.2.6. Seating area
71
4.3. Further extensions of the engine
72
4.3.1. Graphical input assistance
72
4.3.2. Lower seat dependence
72
5. PARAMETRIC CONCERT HALL
77
5.1. Site
77
5.2. Program
79
5.3. Design
81
5.3.1. Vineyard-style seating arrangement
81
5.3.2. Diamond form
81
APPENDIX : SCHEMES
85

REFERENCES
181
INDEX
187
vii
preface
i. PREFACE
Being interested in parametric engines and organic architecture capable
of responding to a series of constraints, I was looking for a topic where I
can apply the know-how achieved in the two previous studio semesters.
Thinking of space which needed mathematical computation in order to
work properly, I was led to rooms for musical and visual spectacles and I
started researching about the typology of concert halls and its underlying
theory.
It has to be said that this present booklet consists only in the presentation
of a research that is still ongoing and is by no means a finalized product.
Which is why the last chapters, for which I spent less time, are still quite
short and represent more of a pool of ideas than effectively achieved work.
i.i. Problematics
Architectural acoustics can be described as something of a black art.
Empiric studies led to knowledge we only recently started to understand
in a scientific way. Perception of sound depends not only on the space,
but also on the person listening to it. Digital sound propagation models
(01): “L’architecture ne se fait pas sans l’acoustique. L’acoustique ne se
fait pas sans architecture.” 1
1
Citation KAHLE, Eckhard, Kahle Acoustics, during a lecture at the
EPFL, Switzerland, the 4th of November 2009.
xi
still need considerable computation power to give us more or less accurate
results whether a hall offers a highly efficient acoustic distribution or not.
Architects often tend to develop their projects on their own without
consulting an expert such as an acoustician.
Recent studies revealed a lot on architectural acoustics that give us
rather precise information on how a spectacle space needs to be conceived
to obtain certain characteristics.
Translated in English, the citation in (01) expresses the fact that acoustics and architecture are depending on each other reciprocally, which
underlines the necessity of starting to think about the acoustics from the
first sketch on.
i.ii. Field of interest
Due to these stated concerns, I would like to create a tool that allows
the architect to conceive a concert hall that responds to acoustical requirements from an engineering point of view, but still leaves him with as much
conceptual freedom as possible.
After directing some effort into computation of sound field performance
and wave propagation inside a large room, I had to realize that this field of
research needs far more work than I would be able to accomplish within
the given time frame. Yoichi Ando for example has devoted several years
of his professional career to create a so called “individual seat preference
system”, based on subjective opinions of thousands of test persons that
xii
Preface
had to rank sound they perceived in a seat that received a certain mix of
sound.1
Finally I have chosen to conduct my research towards geometry and materiality of concert halls. I am looking for general forms, the dimensions,
proportions and shape of a space, but also the constellation of balconies,
distribution and seating areas and where which type of material is needed
to achieve best performance.
i.iii. Methodology
The structure of this work represents also the methodology of my
research, which was quite straight forward until present and consists in
always finding a conclusion or synthesis before going to the next step. I
tried hard to follow the recommendation of my guiding professor and
assistant to merge the process of research and project design together.
Unfortunately I could only do this partially, which is quite well visualized
in the weighting of the different chapters.
Concerning the structuring of this book, the first chapter treats the
historical background (see chapter 1) of acoustic space, by comparing
underlying theories and purposes of spectacle spaces during history.
Secondly, I analyzed the different geometries of those acoustical spaces
(see chapter 2) that allowed myself to get a grasp of different existing
shapes of functioning concert halls.
1
ANDO, Yoichi, Architectural Acoustics - Blending Sound Sources, Sound Fields and
Listeners, USA, Springers-Verlag New York Inc., 1998.
xiii
The next step consisted in retrieving technical background of sound
propagation and concert hall acoustics. I did so by researching different
parameters that result in good acoustics which are described in chapter 3.
In the next chapter I am presenting the current state of my personal
engine (see chapter 4), developed during the research, which should allow
an architect to design a concert hall that offers good acoustic qualities
without needing outstanding knowledge of architectural acoustics.
The last part (see chapter 5) shows some ideas concerning the architectural project I would like to conduct for my master thesis.
xiv
Preface
xv
history
CHAPTER 01
1. HISTORY OF SOUND SPACE
Music and architecture, they both were born when human being started
to try living more comfortable than other animals. Primitive songs around
a camp fire and rudimentary coverage were the first precedents for arts
that are now deeply rooted in human culture.1
1.1. From Greeks to Modernity
In greek and roman antiquity already, architecture and music were quite
close to each other. The proportion model used for architecture mainly
during the Renaissance bears completely on the musical harmonic model.
As a matter of fact, architects, musicians and philosophers consistently
searched to create connections and to stimulate those two kind of arts.
One of the most famous examples may be the citation by Philosopher
Friedrich Schelling (02), which shows in a beautiful way how the relation
of those two terms were perceived. Even though this quotation may seem
(02): ”Architecture is frozen music.” 1
1
1
PASCHA, Khaled Saleh, Gefrorene Musik, Berlin, Dissertation for a Doctor in Engeneering, 2004, page 37.
LONG, Marshall, Architectural Acoustics, USA, Elsevier Academic Press, 2006,
page 1.
4
timeless, the relationship of architecture and music went through some
change over time as I will try to explain with the next few paragraphs.
Since the beginning of music, its expression was strongly dependant on
the surrounding space that the local environment offered. By comparing
for example African music and dance with early European music, we can
easily note that the Africans developed a highly complex rhythmic character whilst Europeans stayed with a more melodic line. Wallace Clement
Sabine (1868 - 1919), an early pioneer in architectural acoustics, felt that
these two distinct developments could be due to the differences in their
living environment. A possible explanation of the stated example would be
that wooden huts and the open space in which African music is performed
offered less reverberation and hence it needed to provide the rhythmic
and tonal variety on its own. On the other hand, early European music
was typically performed within highly reverberant enclosed space such as
temples and churches, which did necessitate a complex tonal scale since
reflections helped to give the music more depth. Gregorian chant is one of
the styles that grew out of the acoustical characteristics specific to Gothic
cathedrals.1 2
During the baroque period, in particular, composers were strongly
dependant on the space in which their compositions were played. Before
1900, a concert was typically enacted only once, not several times as is
the case today. In those days it was more important that the piece was in
1
2
5
Ibidem.
FORSYTH, Michael, Architecture et musique, Belgium, Pierre Mardaga, 1985,
page 29ff.
Chapter 1: History Of Sound Space
perfect harmony with the acoustical properties of the given hall. That is
why composers wrote music with the specific acoustical characteristics of
the space in mind in which their music was supposed to be performed.1
Today we can perceive another movement that has taken place within
the relationship of music and architecture: since the greatest compositions
of all time already exist, it is in the hand of architecture to adapt itself such
as the performed music sounds as it is expected.2
In order to understand the development of the relation between music
(03): “Before 1900, it was the music that had to adapt to the space.
Today, it is the space that has to adapt to the music.” 1
1
Citation KAHLE, Eckhard, Kahle Acoustics, during a lecture at the
EPFL, Switzerland, the 4th of november 2009.
and architecture, I tried to investigate typical acoustic space, the underlying environment and music types at given periods of time. Most of the
following historical information is based on Architectural Acoustics by
Marshall Long (2006).
1
2
BERANEK, Leo, Concert Halls and Opera Houses, USA, Springer-Verlag New York,
2004, page 8ff.
KAHLE, Eckhard, Kahle Acoustics, lecture at the EPFL, Switzerland, the 4th of
november 2009.
6
1.2. Greek and Roman period (650BC - 400AD)
Chant or theater plays with a supporting chorus were the main attraction for early performance spaces.
1.2.1. Theater and odea
Theater (500BC - 0AD)
An outdoor stone construction with a semi circular seating pattern was
the first constellation of sound space that was conceived by Greeks and
later also used by Romans for acoustical performances. This shape as many
people as possible to assemble around a central area (see Fig. 01).
Odea (0 - 450)
Later, Greek playwrights depended more on the spoken dialogue than
on the chorus. These performances were staged in small wooden indoor
theaters, called odea, which had a capacity of about 200 to 1500 seats and
assured good speech intelligibility with an elliptical seating arrangement
(see Fig. 02).
1.2.2. Early acoustical knowledge
People at that time didn’t know a lot about acoustics and almost everything they knew was based on empirical studies and assumptions. There
are several known researchers who were investigating acoustical problems,
-500
7
0
500
but there was one in particular who left us with some very practical information about how sound space had to be conceived:
Vitruvius Pollio
His book called De Architectura, which dates from around 27 BC,
describes numerous aspects of contemporary theater design. Unrestricted
sightlines and good speech intelligibility were apparently the main purposes of architects at that time. He also mentioned that seating should
never face south to prevent the audience from having to look into the sun.
10
0
20
40
10
Fig. 01: Semi circular seating pattern
20
40
Fig. 02: Truncated elliptical seating
of early theater design.
1000
0
arrangement.
1500
2000
8
1.3. Early Christian period (400 - 800)
Performance style of this period was mostly religious chant.
1.3.1. Church
Most known churches during that period had facades with ornamented
marble. Neither the typically rectangular shape nor the materiality and
texture of churches were particularly destined for acoustical performance
(see Fig. 03).
1.3.2. Monody
As explained in the introduction part of this chapter, religious church
music had to adapt to those highly reverberant stone constructions, which
is why they lowered their pace and used only a single melodic line with
instrumental accompaniment, called monody.1 Even a simple line will be
transformed into a beautiful blending of sound due to countless reflections from sidewalls and the ceiling.
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monody, visited 22.12.2009, 19:22.
-500
9
0
500
1.4. Romanesque Period (800 - 1100)
Religious chant remained popular in this period.
1.4.1. Church
During the Romanesque period the main construction materials were
brick, stone and ceramics, as well as scavenged materials from the Roman
ruins. Compared to earlier buildings, decorative marble was used no more.
1.4.2. Organum
A music style with two melodic lines, called organum, slowly began to
develop.
10 0
20
40
60
80
100
Fig. 03: Rectangular church space without particular seating arrangement.
1000
1500
2000
10
1.5. Gothic period (1100 - 1400)
Religious chant was still the main performance style during the Gothic
period.
1.5.1. Gothic cathedral
Construction materials stayed the same but interior space was liberated
due to exterior support structures.
1.5.2. Plainchant, polyphony and miracle play
Plainchant
The beginning of the Gothic period was characterized by plainchant1,
which still consisted in one single melodic line, but without instrumental
accompaniment.
Polyphony
During the end of the twelfth century, the first polyphonic music was
elaborated and started to get popular.
Miracle and mystery play
Public entertainment became less religious and more secular with the
rise of towns and commerce. Miracle and mystery plays, which were
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plainsong, visited 22.12.2009, 19:26.
-500
11
0
500
a combination of singing and spoken dialogue, were tolerated by the
church. Since they were in Latin and average citizens did not understand
them, these plays were performed as a pedagogical tool on the open street.
As mystery plays developed, they were performed increasingly in the local
language and used as entertainment. In order to be clearly understood,
they started to be performed in rooms.
1000
1500
2000
12
1.6. Renaissance (1400 - 1600)
Religious music was still dominating, but secular music became more
and more popular.
1.6.1. Renaissance church and theater
Renaissance Church
Not only music was developing, but also the construction of various
church designs were flourishing.
Renaissance Theater
In Italy, theater construction began more or less where the Romans had
left it a thousand years ago (see Fig. 04).
Later, small open-air theaters appeared in England, which provided
adequate speech intelligibility due to beneficial early reflections of the
sidewalls and the roof on top of the stage. The lack of a roof over the seats
prevented reverberation problems. Outside noise was shielded by the high
walls.
Fig. 04: Elliptical seating arrangement of typical
italian theaters during the Renaissance period.
-500
13
0
500
1000
1500
2000
14
1.7. Baroque period (1600 - 1750)
During this period, secular music became popular and also instrumental
music gained more importance.
1.7.1. Baroque church, theater and opera
Baroque Church
More attention was attributed to the ornamentation of churches than
during the Renaissance.
Baroque Theater and Opera
Seating became U-shaped in order to allow the patrons a view not only
of the stage, but also of the prince whose seat was located on the centerline
(see Fig. 05).
The first standard for opera houses built in Venice were also U-shaped,
but multistory seating arrangements (see Fig. 06), which further evolved
into truncated elliptical shapes later on.
Fig. 05: U-shaped seatings of
Fig. 06: Italian opera houses also
baroque theater design.
-500
15
featured an U-shaped, but multistory, seating arrangement.
0
500
1.7.2. Speech, Baroque and instrumental music
Speech
For Protestants in northern Europe, the spoken word was important for
the religious service they offered. New churches were built with reduced
volumes and old churches were modified with galleries and hanging
draperies so that they offered small compartments in which good speech
intelligibility was assured.
Baroque music
This music style abandoned the polyphony of sacred music in order to
come back to a solo singer with a single instrumental support.
Instrumental music
Concerning theatrical performances, newly introduced moveable stage
machinery made a lot of background noise, which had to be covered with
instrumental music. That is why a lot of development had been made
regarding different instrument types and loudness in order to satisfy the
needs.
1000
1500
2000
16
1.8. Classical period (1750 - 1825)
Classical music and operas were the main acoustical attractions during
this period.
1.8.1. Concert hall and opera
Concert hall
For the first time in history, music was composed with a formal concert
hall performance in mind. Early sound spaces were rarely built for that
sole purpose.
Concert halls of this period were mostly small rectangular halls with a
seating capacity ranging from 400 to 600 people (see Fig. 07).
Opera house
The opera remained the center of cultural world in Italy. La Scala became the archetype of opera houses for the next two centuries. Its shape is
similar to a horseshoe and small boxes are lining the walls like a layer cake
(see Fig. 08).
1.8.2. Classical music
Classical music can be characterized as being very strict in a sense that
composers had to put careful attention to specific forms.
-500
17
0
500
10
0
20
40
Fig. 07: First rectangular concert hall shapes.
10
0
20
40
Fig. 08: Horseshoe-like shape of the La Scalla with multistory seating arrange-
ment as seen in previous opera house designs.
1000
1500
2000
18
1.9. Romantic period (1825 - 1900)
It is difficult to precisely define the separation between the two time
periods of Classical and Romantic. There are, however, some differentiations that can be made between the music and architecture of those.
1.9.1. Shoebox halls
This rectangular shape type is still used nowadays. The most appreciated
halls date from this time period. They are narrow, built with thick plaster
and heavy wood, with a deeply coffered ceiling about 15 meters high. The
floor is generally flat and the orchestra is seated above the patrons. There
are different elements that help diffuse the sound such as chandeliers,
highly ornamented sidewalls, overhanging balconies and recessed windows (see Fig. 09 and Fig. 10).
1.9.2. Romantic music and acoustical knowledge
Romantic music
Compared to classical music, Romantic music can be described as more
personal and less constrained by a formal style.
Acoustical knowledge
The development of louder instruments encouraged the construction of
larger concert halls and the use of full orchestras. This resulted in a less fa-
-500
19
0
500
Fig. 09: Image of the Musikvereinssaal in Vienna as an example of romantic period’s halls.
© by Jason7825 on Wikimedia
vorable performance, since excessive reverberation time and long-delayed
reflections significantly decreased the overall acoustical experience. Most
efficient halls were designed using incremental changes from existing successful spaces. Unsatisfactory rooms were renovated or simply destroyed
and eventually rebuilt with a new design.
10
0
20
40
Fig. 10: Narrow shoebox shape with short, overhanging balconies.
1000
1500
2000
20
1.10. Modernity (1900 - today)
Today, concert halls are the most significant acoustical buildings that are
built. As spectator numbers are still increasing, even more attention has to
be paid on acoustical behavior of new room designs.
1.10.1. Concert halls and theaters
With the increased possibility to create a more accurate forecast analysis
for acoustical performance of concert hall and theater designs, there exists
multiple shapes and materializations that result in good acoustical spaces.
Compared with theaters, concert halls are longer with narrow balconies,
whilst theaters have a short depth and a high ceiling.
1.10.2. Modern acoustics
Since it seems that even modern spectators of concerts and theaters
prefer how music sounded a hundred years ago, it is now up to architects
and acousticians to create space which suits existing compositions1. This is
why there is a lot of architectural research being conducted to satisfy the
respective acoustical needs of concert halls and opera houses.
1
BERANEK, Leo, Concert and Opera Halls - How they sound, USA, Acoustical Society of
America, 1996, page 16ff.
-500
21
0
500
Wallace Clement Sabine
Around 1900, Wallace Clement Sabine discovered that the product
of the total absorption (A) and the volume (V) of a given space was a
constant. He derived from this discovery the famous formula for reverberation time (T60, see (04)).
(04): Reverberation time formula: T60 = 0.161 V/A [m]
Leo Beranek
Beranek’s contribution to modern acoustic theory was a first attempt of
defining quantifiable acoustical attributes for concert halls. He is still one
of the leading researchers of architectural acoustics today.
Besides the two scientists mentioned here, there are numerous gifted
scientists who are trying to get behind the mysteries of sound in architecture, some of them can be found in the bibliography of this paper (see
“References” on page 181).
1000
1500
2000
22
analysis
CHAPTER 02
2. ACOUSTIC SPACE ANALYSIS
In this chapter, I will be focusing on analyzing the rules that created those
different geometries we know of. In order to understand the development
of shapes that are capable of producing good acoustics without help of
electronic equipment, I have compared plans and sections of a number of
spaces depending on the following criteria:
2.1. Selection samples
The halls are chosen based on their importance of historical impact or
their degree of popularity amongst musicians because of their acoustical
properties. Since this work has already be done by professional researchers, I was satisfied with using the selection of Leo Beranek (1996) and
Marshall Long (2006), who are listed in the reference section of this book
(see “References” on page 181). I have added by myself the missing halls from
Switzerland, because of my proper interest of having them included within
this work.
2.1.1. Concert halls and opera houses of the world
A selection raises the question of the importance of the sample items
compared to the total pool of existing halls. This is why I have visualized
all known concert halls and indoor theaters as listed on Wikipedia in
diagrammatic form (see Fig. 11 to Fig. 12). Even if wikipedia cannot be
considered as the most reliable source of information, still, it was the most
27
complete list I have found and I think the degree of reliability is high
enough for this purpose.
Concert halls
1%
19%
africa
asia
africa europe
asia europe oceania
america
oceania 48%
america 30%
TOTAL: 437
3%
Fig. 11: Concert halls of the world with more than 1000 seats, as listed on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_concert_halls, visited 24.11.2009, 16:45
Opera houses
20%
africa
2% 3%
asia
europe
africa 3%
asia europe oceania
oceania america america
TOTAL: 337
Fig. 12: Theaters of the world, as listed on
73%
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_opera_houses, visited 24.11.2009, 16:45
28
Chapter 2: Acoustic Space Analysis
We can state that there are quite more concert halls than indoor theaters
in total. A large percentage of theaters in the world are built in the Europe,
which is due to the concentration of opera houses in Italy about 500 years
ago, from where theater construction spread its popularity towards France
and Germany.
2.1.2. Selected concert halls and theaters
Merging those two previous graphs into each other, we get another
diagram (see Fig. 13) showing the overall dispersion of important interior
music space over the world.
Compared to Fig. 14, which is a visualization of selected spaces for this
work, it gets clear that the samples chosen represent only about 10% of
totally existing constructions of this type, but since only well known halls
got into the selection, I think this analysis will still give a representative
result of shape development over time.
The distribution over the continents seems to be correlating between
selection and total repartition, although there are more chosen halls
within the Europe because of subjective selection of some single European
samples.
29
Concert and opera halls
1%
12%
africa
36%
asia
africa europe
asia oceania
europe oceania america
TOTAL:
america 774
49%
3%
Fig. 13: Repartition of concert halls and opera houses over the five continents.
Chosen halls for shape analysis
0%
africa
10%
30%
asia
africa asia europe
europe oceania
america
TOTAL:
oceania america 3%
80
58%
Fig. 14: The selected concert halls and opera houses for this shape analysis.
30
In order to compare shape development during time where symphonic
concerts were not yet invented and theaters were performed mainly outside, there are ten shapes which are added to the eighty ordinary concert
halls and opera houses. That makes a total number of ninety shapes that
are analyzed in the following sections. Please refer to “Appendix : Schemes”
on page 85 for the whole library of the sampled halls at scale.
The following part can be considered as a graphical or geometrical
approach of the previous chapter (see “History of Sound space” on page 4),
which explained the history of spectacle halls in a more narrative way.
2.2. Type analysis
Depending on the form of a room, there are different performance types
that were typically enacted in it. This analysis gives us information about
how those shapes changed in time and based on the type of spectacle that
was popular at a specific period.
There are three types that can be differentiated: song, theater and
concert:
Song
This performance type consists in one or several vocalists that can be
supported by instruments. There are different styles of song such as religious Song or pop music.
31
song
theater
concert
500BC - 0
32
0 - 500
500 - 1000
1000 -1500
1500 - 1900
1900 - 2000
Fig. 15: Type analysis diagram with three categories: song, theater and concert.
33
Theater
A theater can also be defined as a play, a representation of a story in
musical form. There are several types of theaters that are performed today:
drama, musical theater and comedy.
Concert
This art form is a performance style which uses instruments as main
sound source. A story can be told in tonal form.
2.2.1. Comments for the type analysis diagram
On the upper part of the type analysis diagram (see Fig. 15), there are
floor plans of churches, which were the main acoustical spectacle spaces
during more than a thousand years. Their shape was not that important for
acoustics, since it was mainly due to the reflective interior surfaces that the
sound got a lot of reverberation, which is characteristic for church music.
Since my preoccupation is more of a geometric interest, I will leave out
those floor plans for the following shape analysis.
Concerning development of theaters and concert halls, this diagram
gives us visual affirmation of historical facts that were described in the
historical part of this book:
Theaters were understood as semi circular outdoor spaces more than
two thousand years ago. Around 1500, theaters got more popular again
and those round seating arrangements were reused in rectangular interior
spaces. Other curved forms like elliptical and U-shaped arrangements
were tried out, which eventually resulted in a horseshoe shape, which got
34
a reference until about 1950. Today, we have an increasing number of fan
shaped theater constructions.
Concert halls started their history much later on with simple rectangular shapes. As symphonic concerts gained more popularity, other geometries like the fan shape got more common. With advancing knowledge
in acoustical behavior, other geometries like diamond, asymmetrical and
even elliptical shapes were experimented.
Those reflections on form lead us to the next analysis, which treats the
question of shape development.
2.3. Shape analysis
The arrangement of the sample schemes into defined geometries is not a
task that can be done without subjective decisions. Forms that were quite
defined earlier got diversified within the last hundred years.1 This is why I
am giving a short description of my understanding of existing forms. This
definition does not completely go with Beranek’s (1996) classification of
form. It is to mention that he did not pursue this designation in his future
work (Beranek, 2004).
Nevertheless, I think it will be useful for my personal project to have
them sorted by form and seating arrangement as a classified library of
precedents (see Fig. 23).
My form categories present itself as follows:
1
BARRON, Michael, Auditorium Acoustics and Architectural Design, England, E &
FN Spon, 1993, page 47f.
35
Rectangular
Also referred as “shoebox” form, it can be considered as the most standard and secure concert
Fig. 16: Rectangular
shape
hall shape that exists today because of the close
sidewalls that give every listener an enveloped
impression due to early reflections.
Semi circle / Semi elliptic
This seating arrangement was experimented
a lot during the beginning of spectacle place
construction. They are the most efficient forms
Fig. 17: Semi circle and
semi elliptic shape
to assemble a big number of people around a
single stage.
Fan
In its pure form, it is considered as less efficient
than a rectangular shape, since important lateral
reflections lose of their strength.
Fig. 18: Fan shape
I considered a hall being fan-shaped as soon
as sidewall opened itself towards the back of the
room. Exceptions to this rule are the following:
Horseshoe
A typical shape for theaters. The concave
back wall concentrates sound in its focus point,
36
which creates a bad balance of sound intensity.
Thus, it is not recommended for concert halls.
For this geometry, seating area forms one
Fig. 19: Horseshoe shape
single curve starting on one side of the concert
hall and ending on the other side.
Diamond
This more recent variation of the fan shape
represents a compromise between its visual effect
and the efficiency of enclosure of a rectangular
Fig. 20: Diamond shape
shape that is achieved with the reverse splay.
Elliptic
This form is acoustically one of the worst form
that exists, because of its two focal points. But
still, acoustics can be enhanced by breaking ori-
Fig. 21: Elliptic shape
entation of the circumfluent walls. This technic
is used in more modern halls.
Freeform / Asymmetric
These are the most liberated shape categories
and also the most modern. Research in architectural acoustics is already that advanced that it is
possible to get satisfactory sound propagation
Fig. 22: Freeform shape
for almost every imaginable form.
37
rectangular
semi circle / semi elliptic / fan
horseshoe
diamond / elliptic
asymmetric / freeform
500 BC
38
1500 - 1900
1900 - 1950
1950 - 2000
Fig. 23: Shape analysis diagram comparing different geometries.
39
2.4. Seating arrangement
Another possible classification of the plan schemes is the configuration
of seating areas (see Fig. 26) in concert halls. I split them up in the following three categories:
Frontal
A frontal seating arrangement represents the acoustically most favorable
seating pattern. Side- and back walls close to the stage help creating early
reflections that enhance the sound experience within the whole room.
Lateral
Lateral seats can be interesting to spectators to see the orchestra from another point of view, but on the cost of a well balanced sound (see Fig. 24).
The balustrade on the other hand can be used to reflect sound towards the
main part of the hall.
Circumfluent
Circumfluent arrangements are created by pushing away the back wall of
the scene in order to create space for spectators. Sound intensity towards
the main part of the hall weakens considerably, but the visual experience
for people seated behind the scene can be quite haunting (see Fig. 25).
40
Fig. 24: Photograph of the Musikvereinssaal in Vienna, Austria. ©by XarJ’s blog
Fig. 25: Image of the Kammermusiksaal in Berlin, Germany. ©philharmonie.com, Inc.
41
frontal
lateral
circumfluent
1800 - 1900
42
1900 - 2000
1950 - 2000
Fig. 26: Seating arrangement diagram with three categories: frontal, lateral and circumfluent.
43
2.5. Section analysis
The same type analysis I did in plan, can also be done in section (see
Fig. 33). I used the same arrangement as for Fig. 15 on page 33, which makes
the two graphs directly comparable.
2.5.1. Section types
A general reflection of section development is illustrated on the right
hand side (see Fig. 27 to Fig. 32). In order to perform something in front of
a mass of people, the first idea was to raise the scene (see Fig. 27). By sloping the seating space, even more people could see the scene (see Fig. 28).
Later on, it was recognized that a back wall for the scene enhanced the
sound intensity towards spectators (see Fig. 29). An enclosed scene
reflected even more sound waves to the seating area (see Fig. 30), whilst
obviously the enclosed space finally was the best solution for capturing
every sound that is produced on the scene (see Fig. 31). A contraction of
the volume above the scene (see Fig. 32) does not add considerably to the
overall intensity of sound arriving at the listener, but it enhances the ratio
between early arriving sound waves and later reflections. This is an appreciated factor for spectators, which will be discussed in the following chapter
(see “3.2. Measurable parameters” on page 56).1
2.5.2. Comments for the section analysis diagram
The later sections of the rooms used for music performances show very
clearly the separate reverberant fields that are created below the different
1
44
CAVANAUGH & WILKES, William & Joseph, Architectural Acoustics - principles and
practice, USA, John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1999, page 154.
Fig. 27: raised scene
domes, but otherwise, there is no
geometric setting that helps sound
propagation towards the spectators.
Compared to concert hall sec-
Fig. 28: sloped seating
tions, the diagrams of theaters are
generally higher and shorter. Since
a play not only needs to be heard,
it is also favorable to be as close as
possible to the scene. This is prob-
Fig. 29: backwalled scene
ably the main reason of the different
proportions. Another explanation
could be the stage tower, which had
to be quite high anyway.
Opera diagrams are very similar
Fig. 30: enclosed scene
especially during the period where
Milan’s most famous opera house
La Scala was perceived as the reference for theater construction. Its
main characteristics in section is
Fig. 31: enclosed space
the back wall covered with recessed
balconies.
As for concert halls, compared
to the very first precedents, major
modifications have happened in
Fig. 32: contracted scene space
treatment of roof structure. The
45
song
theater
concert
500BC - 0
46
0 - 500
500 - 1000
1000 -1500
1500 - 1900
Fig. 33: Section analysis diagram with three categories: song, theater and concert.
47
ceiling of earlier halls were flat or had regular cavities. Later halls are taking
advantage of modern research and techniques by applying oriented panels,
convex shapes or other sound dispersing forms.
Another point to mention are the reflector panels that are suspended
inside the volume. Most of the time, they were installed later on as objects
of a renovation.
2.6. Conclusion of the analysis
Looking at those diagrams, we could suppose that there is a diversification of shape in the last hundred years. But it has to be said that we do not
have evidence of every sound space that has been built over history. This
means that already the Greeks two thousands of years ago, they for sure
experimented with their own forms that were less successful. They were
destroyed, rebuilt or modified and hence, they did not survive until today.
I think by drawing all those diagrams, I started to get an idea of the
development of those shapes and geometries. The next step would be to
understand the physics behind, in order to be able to recreate them under
different circumstances.
48
49
acoustics
CHAPTER 03
3. ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS
This chapter will be treating the acoustical parameters that led to those
shapes I have analyzed in the previous chapter. As we have learnt from the
historical part of this research, our knowledge in architectural acoustics is
already that advanced that we are no more restricted in strictly rebuilding
former concert hall designs (see “Concert halls and theaters” on page 21). This
gives us architects the liberty to design new shapes with similar acoustical
properties to other successful halls that were built previously. There are
some rules though that have to be applied which will be explained in this
chapter.
3.1. Fundamentals of acoustics
Before entering into more complex parameters of architectural acoustics, I would like to briefly introduce some fundamental characteristics of
sound.
3.1.1. Physical definition of sound
A sound is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid
or gas.1 This difference of pressure is generally very small compared to atmospheric pressure, but still, it can be perceived by our ears and translated
into sound.
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound, visited 02.01.2010, 16:04.
53
3.1.2. Representations of a single sound wave
Sound propagates in a longitudinal form (see Fig. 35). However, it can
be represented as a transverse wave (see Fig. 34) by plotting x-axis values
on the y-axis. Representing a sound as a transverse wave gives us the possibility to visualize its amplitude and frequency.
amplitude
frequency
Fig. 34: Sound wave representation
Fig. 35: Sound represented as
as transverse wave.
longitudinal wave.
3.1.3. Representation of multiple sound waves
Normally, a sound can be referred as being multiple waves that add up
to a single level of pressure that can be measured in time. A representation
of such a curve is shown in Fig. 36. For certain parameters it is more readable to only visualize the impulses that arrive at a certain point, which is
sound pressure level
represented in Fig. 37.
time
Fig. 36: Sound measurement
represented as curve.
54
Chapter 3: Architectural Acoustics
time
Fig. 37: Sound measurement
represented as arriving impulses.
3.1.4. Frequency
The frequency of a sound is defined as the number of compressions per
seconds. The unit used to measure frequency is named Hertz.
This term is important for architectural acoustics because it is determining how a sound is absorbed when arriving on a surface.
3.1.5. Absorption and reflection
Those two attributes are contributing to the complexity of sound propagation models. Because absorption and reflection of different frequencies
vary depending on the incident angle of a sound wave, perfectly accurate
models are difficult to obtain. This is why an average value is used for
defining the absorption coefficient.
Generally we can say that sound waves of a high frequency, which signifies a short wavelength, are absorbed with porous materials with small
holes such as fabrics.1 Waves with a longer wavelength are rather absorbed
with panel or resonant absorbers.
3.1.6. Perception of sound
Human aural system has the capacity to perceive sound of a large range
of physical intensity. But whether we sense a sound as annoyingly loud
or just correct depends on the listener itself and is hence very subjective.
When we speak of ideal sound properties, it does mean that characteristics
match the preference of the majority of potential or past listeners.2
1
2
LONG, Marshall, Architectural Acoustics, in: op. cit., pages 261ff.
http://www.baunetzwissen.de/standardartikel/Akustik_Wahrnehmung-undEinflussfaktoren_147627.html, visited 02.01.2010, 19:28.
55
3.2. Measurable parameters
In order to create rules that could drive the concert hall engine I would
like to design, I need quantifiable parameters that are generally appreciated
by the public. The following parameters are a selection of such measurable
qualities of a room that I intend to use for future development of my
project.
3.2.1. Reverberation time
The most known parameter for concert hall design is the reverberation
time. It designates the time required for the reverberant sound to decay
by 60 dB of its maximum (see in “Appendix : Schemes” on page 85 for a more
detailed explanation of this term). The optimal values are depending on
the type of performance. They’re visualized in the following diagram (see
Fig. 38).
Organ
Romantic classical
Early classical
Opera
Chamber
Drama (spoken word)
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
Fig. 38: Subjective reverberation time T60 (Occupied) preferences in seconds for
occupied rooms, diagram derived from Barron (1993), page 29.
56
Reverberation time can be obtained easily with the formula of Sabine
(05), which makes it a good parameter to control general acoustical
properties of a room.
(05): Reverberation time formula by Sabine: T60 = 0.161 V/A [m]1
V = total volume of the room.
A = total absorptive area = α × ST
α = absorption coefficient
ST = total acoustic area (see page 85)
1
LONG, Marshall, Architectural Acoustics, in: op. cit., page 301.
The correlation between reverberation time (T60), volume (V) and total
acoustical area (ST) are visualized in Fig. 39.
T60 (Occ) 1.6 1.7 1.8
3000
1.9
2.0
acoustical area ST in m2
2500
2000
1500
1000
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
room volume in 1000 m
3
Fig. 39: Chart for determining the Acoustical Area of a Concert Hall. This
diagram is derived from Beranek (1996), page 448.
57
3.2.2. Loudness
This parameter hardly needs any definition. A sound will be perceived
much louder in a room with 10’000 m3 than in a room with 20’000 m3 that
has a similar reverberation time. The following diagram visualizes this correlation using the terms already defined in the previous charts. “Loudness”
is defined here as Gmid, which is explained more in detail in “Appendix :
Schemes” on page 85. Using this term, 5 dB ±1 is about the preferred value
for a concert hall.1
Gmid = 2 dB
35’000
room volume V in m3
30’000
Gmid = 3 dB
25’000
Gmid = 4 dB
20’000
Gmid = 5 dB
15’000
Gmid = 6 dB
10’000
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2.1
2.2
reverberation time T60 (Occupied) in seconds
Fig. 40: Chart for determining the volume of a concert hall, derived from
Beranek (1996), page 447.
1
58
BERANEK, Leo, Concert and Opera Halls - How they sound, in: op. cit., page 446.
3.3. Number of seats
Using those parameters it is possible to determine the actual seat count
that goes with the desired acoustical properties of a room. In Long’s
(2006) book on architectural acoustics there is a very neat summary from
Beranek’s (1996) research on how this can be done, which I am going to
quote as is:
(06): [...] Beranek assumes that the audience and orchestra represent
75% of the total absorption in a hall and that the average midfrequency absorption coefficient is 0.85. The absorption area, ST (sq
m), is the combined area of the audience and the orchestra times a
factor of 1.1 to account for the side absorption. [...]1
1
These guidelines give us a new formula for reverberation time (07),
which allows us to connect the previously discussed values with the actual
seat number.
(07): Adapted reverberation time formula: T60-o ≈ 0.14 (V / ST)1
1
59
3.4. Further measurable parameters
There are some more measurable parameters that are discussed amongst
researchers on architectural acoustics. I did not yet find a way how to predict all of these efficiently in an engine that resolves problems in real-time,
but maybe future work will treat them more in detail.
3.4.1. Intimacy
This parameter can also be defined as “presence” of a hall and it designates the impression of music being played in a small hall rather than in
a vast space.1 One quantifiable value that designates this rather subjective
impression of intimacy is the initial-time-delay gap (tI). It is defined as the
delay of the first reflection measured in the center of the main body of a
room.2
This parameter can easily be obtained with geometric work on plan and
section.
B
A
A
B
initial-timedelay gap
time
Fig. 41: Geometric visualization for tI
(initial-time-delay gap).
A = direct sound
B = first reflection
1
2
60
Fig. 42: Diagrammatic visualiza-
tion for tI, derived from Barron
(1993), page 40.
BERANEK, Leo, Concert and Opera Halls - How they sound, in: op. cit., page 22f.
in: ibid. page 511f.
3.4.2. Warmth
“Warmth” in music can be defined as the ratio between the fullness of
the bass tones (between 75 and 350 Hz) to that of the mid-frequency
tones (350 to 1’400 Hz), which is also the definition to the term “bass
ratio”, as explained in the “Appendix : Schemes” on page 85.1 This means in
practice that a hall should have some bass reverberation creating surfaces
in order to be perceived as “warm”. This kind of reverberation in these low
frequency tones are obtained with very heavy materials such as 50 mm
thick wood on a concrete plaster backing.
Fig. 43 does visualize how reverberation time at lower frequencies
should ideally increase in percentage of the value at 1’000 Hz.
percentage of value at 1’000 Hz
160
150
140
130
120
110
100
65
125
250
500
1’000
2’000
4’000
frequency, Hz
Fig. 43: Ratio of the bass to mid-frequency reverberation time.
Diagram derived from Long (2006), page 587.
1
in: ibid. page 23f.
61
3.4.3. Envelopment
A factor that I considered as quite interesting which contributes to
“Envelopment” is the surface diffusivity index (SDI). There is general
agreement that diffusivity is good, since it helps to envelope a listener with
reverberant sound coming evenly distributed from different directions,
but it is less defined how to measure it.1 As explained in “Absorption and
reflection” on page 55, diffusion is difficult to quantify, because reflections of
an arriving sound depend on the frequency and the incident angle and in
addition to this, measurement needs to be performed at locations over the
entire half-sphere surrounding the diffuser.
A value of 1 designates a highly diffusive surface whilst 0 means low
diffusivity. The highest value of one can be considered as the optimal value
for this parameter.
3.5. Conclusion on architectural acoustics
There are a lot of terms that imply an acoustical quality of sound. The
parameters chosen are merely a fraction of what exists, but I tried to select
those I could be capable to handle for the concert hall engine I would like
to design. Every one of those parameters has also the capacity to serve as
architectural concept, meaning combining acoustical with architectural
characteristics. A hall that offers highly enveloping and intimate sound for
example can go along with a seating arrangement that consists in embracing boxes that are spread throughout the space or a hall with “warm” sound
1
62
would also be built with warm materials such as wood and fabrics, having
warm lighting or be painted in warm colors.
These reflections lead us to the next chapter, which will treat the problematics of the proposition of a concert hall engine.
63
engine
CHAPTER 04
4. CONCERT HALL ENGINE
The aim of this concert hall engine is to support the design process of
a concert hall. It should be a combination of help for resolving known
acoustical problems and formulas and assistance or generator for shape
and concept development.
Time is constraining, which is why this engine does exist only in a very
limited state yet. It is at least already capable of calculating the most simple
equations that are mentioned in the previous chapter. In this part, I am
going to explain my intentions concerning development of this engine and
which possibilities it would offer. This chapter can also be considered as a
pool of ideas.
4.1. Introduction to the engine
Resumed in a phrase, the engine consists in three types of inputs (numeric, optional and graphical) that result in a mostly visual output that
varies a lot depending on what I am intending to achieve with. Numeric
input is a single value for the seat count, graphical input can be closed
splines or polygons. Optional inputs are values for the selected acoustical
parameters. Their range of preference is already defined inside the engine,
but it can be overwritten by a manual input. There is also some numeric
output that is used to calculate the visual data. For more detail, please refer
to Fig. 44 on the next page.
67
GRAPHICAL INPUT
»» total floor surface
»» seating+circulation area
»» stage area
Visual Output
Numeric Output
Input
NUMERIC INPUT
»» number of seats
68
VALUE CALCULATION
»» ideal average height
»» ideal total volume
»» volume per seat ratio
» ideal absorption (ST)
» ideal stage area
» VOLUME
STAGE
AREA
STAGE
WALLS
»» floor spline x
height
»» area per musician
»» ideal
primary reflections
Chapter 4: Concert Hall Engine
OPTIONAL INPUT
»»
»»
»»
»»
»»
reverberation time
volume per seat ratio
loudness (Gmid)
orchestra size
area per musician
» input total floor surface
» input seating+circulation area
» input stage area
BALCONY
SECTION
EMBRACING
WALLS
SEATING
AREA
»» section depending on
depth
»» splitting seating area into
small parts
»» seating+ circulation area
Fig. 44: graphic representation of the concert hall engine.
69
4.2. The different applets of the engine
I am giving a short explanation on the way those different proposed
visual outputs (applets) would work.
4.2.1. Volume
A fairly easy visualization which already works in the present applet,
which consists in drawing the total volume as an extrusion from the input
of the total floor area.
4.2.2. Stage area
Taking the graphic input of stage area as reference, this applet would
resize it according to the defined area per musician and the eventually
defined size of the orchestra.
4.2.3. Stage walls
This applet would calculate the orientation and form of the sidewalls
in order to get ideal primary reflections towards the main seating area.
The same thing could be done for reflections back to the stage to create a
good “ensemble” (this term refers to the ability of the performers to play
in unison1).
The same operation can also be done in section, where the ideal angle
and positioning of the existing roof or an overhanging canopy will be
calculated.
1
70
BERANEK, Leo, Concert and Opera Halls - How they sound, in: op. cit., page 25.
4.2.4. Balcony section
Depending on the design of the concert hall, it is possible that the room
has no balconies. But in case I will be in need of profound overhanging
balconies, it would be helpful to have a tool that helps applying the known
rules for the design of balcony sections.
There are several ways to reinforce the lack of sound in a profound room
under balconies. This applet would apply them according to the proportions of this space.
4.2.5. Embracing walls
This tool is assigned to a specific type of seating, which is the vineyardstyle seating arrangement. It would split the existing seating area into
several smaller areas which are then shifted in height between each other
in order to create close sidewalls for each of these areas that provide them
with well appreciated early reflections.
There is also the possibility to extend this applet in section with the idea
that finally every existing surface in the hall is oriented such as those areas
get ideal primary reflections.
4.2.6. Seating area
A more or less similar tool regarding the segmentation of seating and
circulation area. This applet would consist in splitting up the graphical
input of total seating and circulation area into several accessible parts and
eventually propose the creation of balconies, if the requested seating count
does would be too important for the existing area.
71
4.3. Further extensions of the engine
4.3.1. Graphical input assistance
At the moment, graphical input happens completely manually. There
could be some kind of assistance or engine on its own that draw a floor
line which is then fed into the engine.
4.3.2. Lower seat dependence
Having to define a seat count in advance does constrain projects where
there is fixed volume at disposition. A system that tracks back to the seat
number and lowers it if necessary could be quite useful. This can also be
done manually by trial and error.
72
73
project
CHAPTER 05
5. PARAMETRIC CONCERT HALL
There are the assembled information and ideas that already exist concerning the actual project of a parametric concert hall that I will conduct
as master project.
5.1. Site
The actual site for this type of master project is not as essential as it may
be for other projects, which is why there has been no detailed research on
a site in this work. It is however important to put the project in a credible
context. A way to resolve this lack of investigation of a site would be to
choose a known perimeter which avoids having to do extensive research
of the environnment.
As already known by attentive members of the EPFL, there is a project
on a future conference center with an auditorium for the EPFL that is
being planified. There is only a few information available in public, but
there is already a demand for changing the zone of the perimeter in question, which is represented in Fig. 45 on the next page. The blue perimeter
designates the space the conference center complex will occupy.
This perimeter would offer the advantage of an actual similar project that
will be developed in parallel. My work could give an alternative proposition of an auditorium that would function also or only as a concert hall.
77
78
Chapter 5: Parametric Concert Hall
1
du :
L’attestent :
Le syndic
à Ecublens
Zone du domaine ferroviaire :
Zone d'activité mixte du Forum nord
Périmètre de l'addenda
au :
Etat de Vaud
Etat de Vaud
Renaud et Burnand SA
ingénieurs géomètres officiels
Av. de Préfaully 29, 1020 Renens
Tél 021 634.04.81 Fax 021 634.74.32
Confédération Suisse
DP 2
(Dép. des finances et des douanes)
1478
propriétaire
Le secrétaire
L'ingénieur géomètre breveté :
Renens, le
ETABLI SUR LA BASE DES DONNEES
CADASTRALES DU 30.05.2007
735
116
63’351
surface comprise dans l’addenda
(m2)
Limite à la forêt, 10 m
Délimitation de l'aire forestière selon constatation de
nature du 11 juillet 2001
Aire forestière (indicative hors du périmètre)
Zone de verdure à vocation écologique
Zone ferroviaire étape 2
Zone ferroviaire
2
ECHELLE 1:1000
Soumis à l'enquête publique,
Périmètre du PAC 229
LEGENDE
DP 1000
n° parcelle
0730-Addenda1-PAC229-1000-120608-LO-pab
Juin 2008
Lausanne, le
Le Chef du Département :
Approuvé par le Département compétent
3
Le chef de Service du développement territorial (SDT) :
N
ADDENDA 1 AU PLAN D’AFFECTATION CANTONAL N°229
Etat de Vaud
Département de l’économie
Fig. 45: Addenda 1 au plan d’affectation cantonal N°229
5.2. Program
The construction of a concert hall does also need a program that goes
with the main hall. In relation with the site and a proposition with a lower
audience than planned, the following program could be applied:
Perimeter
(Dimensions: 45 m x 100 m)
4500 m2
Concert Hall
audience
2000 seats
length
35 m
largeness
25 m
height (max.)
15 m
volume
14’000 m3
Scene
140 m2
Direction
14 m2
Public
Foyer
300 m2
Entrance Hall
900 m2
1200 m2
1200 m2
Bars
Services
79
Artists
Foyer
150 m2
Cloak room
150 m2
Practice room
200 m2
Instruments Depot
100 m2
Personnel
Studios
40 m2
Office
15 m2
Administration
650 m2
60 m2
100 m2
Office (Director, Artistic Director, Secretary, Cash office)
Documentation
Library
100 m2
50 m2
Listening room 25 m2
Technical rooms
400 m2
Depot
Service access
TOTAL
80
Chapter 5: Parametric Concert Hall
3700 m2
5.3. Design
There are two concert hall designs that awakened my interest
5.3.1. Vineyard-style seating arrangement
This type of seating arrangement was first used for the Berlin Philharmonie in Germany which received good critics. A main advantage of this
seating type is to create an acoustically intimate atmosphere with the surrounding walls for every vineyard field by elevating successively adjacent
plateforms.
As explained in the previous chapter treating the concert hall engine( see
“Embracing walls” on page 71), it could be interesting to investigate further
in an engine that tries to orient every existing surface in a hall towards one
of these plateforms.
5.3.2. Diamond form
As previously explained (see “Diamond” on page 37), this form is a good
compromise between the acoustical advantage of the rectangular and the
visual effect of the fan form.
I thought it could be intersting to proceed further with refining this
concept of synthesizing acoustics and visuals interior surface design and
materiality.
81
appendix
APPENDIX : SCHEMES
All concert hall shape samples are listed in chronological order of their
inauguration and with the same scale (1/1’000), except for schemes 0330
and 1220. Details of each hall are given when available. I used the following abbreviations:
Type = performance type of the sample : song, concert or theater.
Shape = shape of seating area or the surrounding walls : rectangular,
semi elliptic, semi circular, fan, horseshoe, diamond, elliptic, freeform or
asymmetric.
Reverberation time = RT. This is the most recognizable acoustical parameter associated with concert halls. It is defined as the time required for
the reverberant sound to decay by 60dB of its maximum.1 It is defined as
the time, multiplied by a factor of 2, that it takes for the sound in a hall to
decay from -5 to -35 dB below its steady-state value.
V = volume of a hall.
H = average height.
W = average width.
L = average length, mesured from the front of the stage to the backwall.
Sa = area of projected floor space over which the audience chairs are
located.
1
85
SA = acoustical audience area. This parameter adds to Sa a strip of 0.5 m
around seating areas where the border is exposed and capable of absorbing
incoming sound waves.
SO = are of stage or pit.
ST = SA + SO
1 - IACCE3 = interaural cross-correlation coefficient. Measure of the
difference in the sound arriving at the two ears of a listener facing the
performing entity in a hall. IACCE3 is determined for a time period of 0 to
80 msec. It is the averages of the values measured in the three octave bands
with mid-frequencies of 500, 1’000 and 2’000Hz. This coefficient is a
sensitive measure to determine the apparent source width of a performing
entity as heard by a person seated in the audience. This parameter correlates with the subjective impression of “spaciousness”.
EDT = early-decay-time. It is comparable to RT except that EDT is
obtained with the measure of time it takes for a signal to decay from 0 to
-10dB. In order to be comparative to RT, the measured value is multiplied
by 6.
SDI = surface diffusivity index. This value indicates the diffusivity of a
surface, 0 being the lowest and 1 being the highest value = highly diffuse.
Gmid = the mid-frequency “strength factor”. It is the ratio, expressed
in decibels, of the sound energy at a seat in a hall that comes from a
non-directional source to the sound energy from the same source when
measured in an anechoic room at a distance of 10 m. Gmid is defined as
the average of the 125 and 250 Hz bands. It correlates to the subjective
impression of "loudness".
86
Appendix : Schemes
tI = initial-time-delay gap. It is defined for Beranek’s book (1996) as the
time interval in msec between the arrival at a seat in the middle of the
main floor of the direct sound from a source on stage to the arrival of the
first reflection. This parameter correlates with the subjective impression
of “intimacy”.
BR = bass ratio. This parameter is the ratio of two reverberation times for
an occupied hall. The denominator is the average of the RTs at 500 and
1’000 Hz and the numerator is the average of the RTs at 125 and 250 Hz.
It can also be defined as “warmth” of a sound.
Detailed description of these terms are derived mostly from Beranek
(1996), page 47, 513, 457f, 567ff. Schemes and values that will follow are
redrawn from the following ressources:
•
BARRON, Michael, Auditorium Acoustics and Architectural Design, England, E & FN
Spon, 1993.
•
America, 1996.
•
BERANEK, Leo, Concert Halls and Opera Houses, USA, Springer-Verlag New York, 2004.
•
CLASIEN, Delphine, Une salle de concert à Maastricht, Lausanne, Projet de Master
EPFL, 1997.
•
LONG, Marshall, Architectural Acoustics, USA, Elsevier Academic Press, 2006.
87
-0330
Theater at Epidaurus
Epidaurus, Greece
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Semi circle
Seats : 17’000
Voulme : Height : Length : 80 m
Width : 120 m
Reverberation t : -
88

Appendix :
Schemes
10
V / ST : V / SA : V / N : SA / N : H / W : L / W : 0.7
So : Sa : -
30
SA : ST : 1-IACCE3 : Decay time (EDT) : Diffusivity (SDI) : Loudness (G mid) : Intimacy (tI) : Warmth (BR) : -
-0330
Epidaurus, Greece
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Semi circle
Seats : 17’000
Voulme : Height : Length : 80 m
Width : 120 m
Reverberation t : -
10
So : Sa : -
30
89
-0012
Odeon of Agrippa
Athens, Greece
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Semi elliptic
Seats : 200-1500
Voulme : 18750 m3
Height : 25 m
Length : 30 m
Width : 25 m
Reverberation t : -
90

Appendix :
Schemes
10
V / ST : V / SA : V / N : SA / N : H / W : 1.0
L / W : 1.2
So : Sa : -
30
0080
Theater at Aspendum
Aspendum, Turkey
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Semi circle
Seats : Voulme : Height : Length : 50 m
Width : 80 m
Reverberation t : -
10
So : Sa : -
30
91
0330
Church of St. Peter
Rome, Italy
0
20
Type : Song
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : huge
Voulme : 1’188’000 m3
Height : 60 m
Length : 180 m
Width : 110 m
Reverberation t : long
92
Appendix : Schemes
40
V / ST : V / SA : V / N : SA / N : H / W : 0.5
L / W : 1.6
So : Sa : -
0530
Church of St. Sophia
Constantinople, Turkey
0
Type : Song
Shape : Orthogonal
Seats : Voulme : 196’000 m3
Height : 40 m
Length : 70 m
Width : 70 m
10
V / ST : V / SA : V / N : SA / N : H / W : 0.6
L / W : 1.0
So : Sa : -
30
93
1140
Basilica di San Marco
Venice, Italy
0
Type : Song
Shape : Orthogonal
Seats : Voulme : 78’500 m3
Height : 35 m
Length : 50 m
Width : 50 m
94

Appendix :
Schemes
10
V / ST : V / SA : V / N : SA / N : H / W : 0.7
L / W : 1.0
So : Sa : -
30
SA :ST : 1-IACCE3 : Decay time (EDT) : Diffusivity (SDI) : Loudness (G mid) : Intimacy (tI) : Warmth (BR) : -
1200
0
20
Type : Song
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 9’000
Voulme : 162’000 m3
Height : 30 m
Length : 120 m
Width : 45 m
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
Paris, France
40
V / ST : V / SA : V / N : SA / N : H / W : 0.7
L / W : 2.7
So : Sa : -
SA : ST : 1-IACCE3 :
Decay time (EDT) : Diffusivity (SDI) : Loudness (G mid) : Intimacy (tI) : Warmth (BR) : -
95
1580
Teatro Olympico
Vicenza, Italy
Type : Theater
Shape : Semi elliptic
Seats : Voulme : Height : Length : Width : Reverberation t : -
96
Appendix : Schemes
V / ST : V / SA : V / N : SA / N : H / W : L / W : So : Sa : -
1588
Type : Theater
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : s mall
Voulme : Height : Length : Width : Reverberation t : -
Teatro Sabbioneta
Sabbioneta, Italy
97
1620
Teatro Farnese
Parma, Italy
Type : Theater
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : s mall
98
Appendix : Schemes
1637
Type : Theater
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : Voulme : Height : Length : Width : Reverberation t : -
Teatro di Giovanni e Paolo
Venice, Italy
99
1776
Stadtcasino
Basel, Switzerland
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’448
Voulme : 10’500 m3
Height : 15.2 m
Length : 23.5 m
Width : 21 m
Reverberation t : 1.8s
100

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 11.8 m
V / SA : 14.4 m
V / N : 7.25 m3
SA / N : 0.50 m2
H / W : 0.72
L / W : 1.12
So : 160 m2
Sa : 584 m2
SA : 731 m2
ST : 891 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.64
Decay time (EDT) : 2.0s
Diffusivity (SDI) : 0.8
Loudness (G mid) : 6.6dB
Intimacy (tI) : 16 msec
Warmth (BR) : 1.17
1778
Teatro alla Scala
Milan, Italy
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2289
Voulme : 11’252 m3
Height : 19.2 m
Length : 30.2 m
Width : 20.1 m
10
V / ST : 6.9 m
V / SA : 8.65 m
V / N : 4.92 m3
SA / N : 0.57 m2
H / W : 0.95
L / W : 1.5
So : 125.4 m2
Sa : -
30
SA : m2
ST : 1’635 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.48
Diffusivity (SDI) : Loudness (G mid) : 1.4dB
Warmth (BR) : 1.21
101
1821
Konzerthaus Berlin
Berlin, Germany
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’575
Voulme : 15’000 m3
Height : 17.7 m
Length : 24.1 m
Width : 20.7 m
102

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 13.6 m
V / SA : 15.9 m
V / N : 9.53 m3
SA / N : 0.60 m2
H / W : 0.85
L / W : 1.16
So : 158 m2
Sa : 784 m2
SA : 943 m2
ST : 1’101 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.66
Warmth (BR) : 1.23
1857
Mechanics Hall
Worcester, USA
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’343
Voulme : 10’760 m3
Height : 12.5 m
Length : 27.1 m
Width : 24.7 m
10
V / ST : 12.5 m
V / SA : 15.4 m
V / N : 8.01 m3
SA / N : 0.52 m2
H / W : 0.51
L / W : 1.1
So : 154 m2
Sa : 541 m2
30
SA : 701 m2
ST : 855 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.57
Decay time (EDT): 2.2s
Warmth (BR) : 1.16
103
1858
Royal Opera House
London, Great Britain
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2’120
Voulme : 12’250 m3
Height : 18.6 m
Length : 29.9 m
Width : 24.4 m
104

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 7.67 m
V / SA : 9 m
V / N : 5.8 m3
SA / N : 0.64 m2
H / W : 0.76
L / W : 1.2
So : 62.2 m2
Sa : 1’090 m2
SA : 1’360 m2
ST : 1’600 m2
1-IACCE3 : Decay time (EDT): 1.1s
Warmth (BR) : 1.07
1870
Grosser Musikvereinssaal
Vienna, Austria
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’680
Voulme : 15’000 m3
Height : 17.4 m
Length : 35.7 m
Width : 19.8 m
10
V / ST : 13.4 m
V / SA : 15.7 m
V / N : 8.93 m3
SA / N : 0.57 m2
H / W : 0.88
L / W : 1.8
So : 163 m2
Sa : 690 m2
30
SA : 955 m2
ST : 1’118 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.71
Warmth (BR) : 1.11
105
1871
Royal Albert Hall
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Elliptic
Seats : 5’080 + 1’000
Voulme : 86.650 m3
Height : 36 m
Length : 44.5 m
Width : 47 m
106

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 23.5 m
V / SA : 24.7 m
V / N : 17 m3
SA / N : 0.69 m2
H / W : 0.76
L / W : 0.94
So : 176 m2
Sa : 2’700 m2
SA : 3’512 m2
ST : 3’688 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.52
Loudness (G mid) : -0.1dB
Warmth (BR) : 1.13
1875
Opéra Garnier
Paris, France
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2’131
Voulme : 10’000 m3
Height : 20.7 m
Length : 27.7 m
Width : 18,9 ma
10
V / ST : 6.9 m
V / SA : 8.87 m
V / N : 4.68 m3
SA / N : 0.53 m2
H / W : 1.1
L / W : 1.47
So : 78 m2
Sa : 900 m2
30
SA : 1’126 m2
ST : 1’448 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.50
Warmth (BR) : -
107
1876
Festspielhaus
Bayreuth, Germany
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Fan
Seats : 1’800
Voulme : 10’308 m3
Height : 12.8 m
Length : 32.3 m
Width : 33.2 m
Reverberation t : 1.55
108

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 10 m
V / SA : 12.2 m
V / N : 5.72 m3
SA / N : 0.47 m2
H / W : 0.385
L / W : 0.97
So : 34.5 m2
Sa : 755 m2
SA : 845 m2
ST : 1’032 m2
1-IACCE3 : Decay time (EDT) : Diffusivity (SDI) : Loudness (G mid) : Intimacy (tI) : 14 msec
Warmth (BR) : 1.11
1877
St. Andrew Hall
Glasgow, Scotland
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’133
Voulme : 16’100 m3
Height : 22 m
Length : 50 m
Width : 14 m
10
V / ST : 11.6 m
V / Sa : 12.8 m
V / N : 7.6 m3
Sa / N : 0.59 m2
H / W : 1.57
L / W : 3.57
So : 130 m2
Sa : 1’255 m2
30
SA : ST : 1’385 m2
1-IACCE3 : Decay time (EDT) : Diffusivity (SDI) : Loudness (G mid) : Intimacy (tI) : Warmth (BR) : -
109
1882
neues Gewandhaus
Leipzig, Germany
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1560
Voulme : 10’600 m3
Height : 14.9 m
Length : 37.8 m
Width : 18.9 m
110

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 10.3 m
V / Sa :11.7 m
V / N : 6.8 m3
Sa / N : 0.59 m2
H / W : 0.79
L / W : 2.0
So : 116 m2
Sa : 905 m2
SA : ST : 1’020 m2
1883
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, USA
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 3’816
Voulme : 24’724 m3
Height : 25 m
Length : 39.6 m
Width : 33.5 m
10
V / ST : 10.3 m
V / SA : 10.9 m
V / N : 6.48 m3
SA / N : 0.59 m2
H / W : 0.745
L / W : 1.18
So : 132 m2
Sa : 1’914 m2
30
SA : 2’262 m2
ST : 2’394 m2
1-IACCE3 : Decay time (EDT): 2.3s
Diffusivity (SDI) :
Loudness (G mid) : Intimacy (tI) : 34 msec
Warmth (BR) : 1.20
111
1888
Concertgebouw
Amsterdam, Netherlands
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’037
Voulme : 18’780 m3
Height : 17.1 m
Length : 26.2 m
Width : 27.7 m
112

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 14.6 m
V / SA : 16.7 m
V / N : 16.7 m3
SA / N : 0.55 m2
H / W : 0.62
L / W : 0.94
So : 160 m2
Sa : 843 m2
SA : 1’125 m2
ST : 1’285 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.46
Warmth (BR) : 1.08
1891a
Carnegie Hall
New York, USA
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2’804
Voulme : 24’270 m3
Height : 23.8 m
Length : 32.9 m
Width : 25.9 m
10
V / ST : 13.3 m
V / SA : 15.2 m
V / N : 8.65 m3
SA / N : 0.53 m2
H / W : 0.92
L / W : 1.27
So : 227 m2
Sa : 1’145 m2
30
SA : 1’600 m2
ST : 1’826 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
113
1891b Orchestra Hall
Chicago, USA
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2’582
Voulme : 18’000 m3
Height : 18 m
Length : 25.6 m
Width : 28.7
114

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 9.7 m
V / SA : 10.8 m
V / N : 7.0 m3
SA / N : 0.65 m2
H / W : 0.63
L / W : 0.89
So : 186 m2
Sa : 1’290 m2
SA : 1’672 m2
ST : 1’858 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
1894
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’644
Victoria Hall
Geneva, Switzerland
115
1895
Grosser Tonhallesaal
Zurich, Switzerland
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’546
Voulme : 11’400 m3
Height : 14 m
Length : 29.6 m
Width : 19.5
116

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 11.2 m
V / SA : 13 m
V / N : 7.37 m3
SA / N : 0.57 m2
H / W : 0.72
L / W : 1.5
So : 145 m2
Sa : 702 m2
SA : 877 m2
ST : 1’022 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.71
Warmth (BR) : 1.23
1900
Symphony Hall
Boston, USA
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’631
Voulme : 18’740 m3
Height : 18.6 m
Length : 39 m
Width : 23.6 m
10
V / ST : 12.3 m
V / SA : 13.7 m
V / N : 7.14 m3
SA / N : 0.52 m2
H / W : 0.81
L / W : 1.71
So : 152 m2
Sa : 1’056 m2
30
SA : 1’370 m2
ST : 1’550 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.65
Warmth (BR) : 1.03
117
1908
Teatro Colón
Buenos Aires, Argentina
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2’787
Voulme : 20’570 m3
Height : 26.5 m
Length : 34.4 m
Width : 24.4 m
118

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 12.5 m
V / SA : 15.4 m
V / N : 8.01 m3
SA / N : 0.52 m2
H / W : 0.51
L / W : 1.1
So : 154 m2
Sa : 541 m2
SA : 701 m2
ST : 2’144 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
1914
Usher Hall
Edinburgh, Great Britain
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2’547
Voulme : 15’700 m3
Height : 17 m
Length : 30.5 m
Width : 23.8 m
10
V / ST : 10.8 m
V / SA : 11.7 m
V / N : 6.16 m3
SA / N : 0.525 m2
H / W : 0.72
L / W : 1.28
So : 120 m2
Sa : 1’040 m2
30
SA : 1’338 m2
ST : 1’458 m2
1-IACCE3 : Decay time (EDT) : 2.1s
Warmth (BR) : 1.17
119
1923
Eastman Theatre
New York, USA
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Fan
Seats : 3’347
Voulme : 23’970 m3
Height : 20.4 m
Length : 35.7 m
Width : 36.6 m
120

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 10.2 m
V / SA : 11.9 m
V / N : 7.16 m3
SA / N : 0.60 m2
H / W : 0.56
L / W : 0.97
So : 204 m2
Sa : 1’580 m2
SA : 1’907 m2
ST : 2’348 m2
Warmth (BR) : 1.26
1927
Salle Pléyel
Paris, France
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 2’386
Voulme : 15’500 m3
Height : 18.6 m
Length : 30.5 m
Width : 25.6 m
10
V / ST : 11.9 m
V / SA : 14.6 m
V / N : 6.5 m3
SA / N : 0.44 m2
H / W : 0.73
L / W : 1.19
So : 242 m2
Sa : 780 m2
30
SA : 1’058 m2
ST : 1’300 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.54
Warmth (BR) : 1.23
121
1929
Palais des Beaux-Arts
Brussels, Belgium
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Elliptic
Seats : 2’150
Voulme : 12’520 m3
Height : 29.3 m
Length : 31.1 m
Width : 23.2 m
122

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 8.42 m
V / SA : 9.6 m
V / N : 5.83 m3
SA / N : 0.60 m2
H / W : 1.26
L / W : 1.34
So : 186 m2
Sa : 1’020 m2
SA : 1’300 m2
ST : 1’486 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
1930
War Memorial Opera House
San Francisco, USA
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Fan
Seats : 3’252
Voulme : 20’900 m3
Height : 22.2 m
Length : 36.6 m
Width : 31.7 m
10
V / ST : 9.19 m
V / SA : 10.6 m
V / N : 6.43 m3
SA / N : 0.61 m2
H / W : 0.70
L / W : 1.15
So : 70.6 m2
Sa : 1’518 m2
30
SA : 1’973 m2
ST : 2’276 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
123
1931
Severance Hall
Cleveland, USA
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2’101
Voulme : 15’690 m3
Height : 16.8 m
Length : 32.9 m
Width : 27.4 m
124

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 11.2 m
V / SA : 13 m
V / N : 7.5 m3
SA / N : 0.57 m2
H / W : 0.61
L / W : 1.2
So : 186 m2
Sa : 930 m2
SA : 1’208 m2
ST : 1’394 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.59
Warmth (BR) : 1.14
1935
Konserthus
Gothenburg, Sweden
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’286
Voulme : 11’900 m3
Height : 13.7 m
Length : 30.5 m
Width : 25.3 m
10
V / ST : 14.2 m
V / SA : 17.8 m
V / N : 9.25 m3
SA / N : 0.52 m2
H / W : 0.54
L / W : 1.2
So : 170 m2
Sa : 585 m2
30
SA : 666 m2
ST : 836 m2
Warmth (BR) : 1.08
125
1938
Tanglewood, Serge Koussevitzky Music Shed
Massachusetts, USA
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 5’121
Voulme : 42’480 m3
Height : 13.4 m
Length : 50.9 m
Width : 61 m
126

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 13.9 m
V / SA : 14.8 m
V / N : 8.29 m3
SA / N : 0.56 m2
H / W : 0.22
L / W : 0.835
So : 204 m2
Sa : 2’200 m2
SA : 2’861 m2
ST : 3’065 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.46
Warmth (BR) : 1.45
1939
Philharmonic Hall
Liverpool, Great Britain
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 1’824
Voulme : 13’560 m3
Height : 14 m
Length : 28.6 m
Width : 30 m
10
V / ST : 9.54 m
V / SA : 10.5 m
V / N : 7.43 m3
SA / N : 0.71 m2
H / W : 0.47
L / W : 0.96
So : 130 m2
Sa : 994 m2
30
SA : 1’291 m2
ST : 1’421 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.6
Warmth (BR) : 1.00
127
1940
Kleinhans Music Hall
Buffalo, USA
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 2’839
Voulme : 18’240 m3
Height : 13.4 m
Length : 37.5 m
Width : 39.3 m
128

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 8.5 m
V / SA : 9.35 m
V / N : 6.42 m3
SA / N : 0.69 m2
H / W : 0.34
L / W : 0.95
So : 205 m2
Sa : 1’580 m2
SA : 1’951 m2
ST : 2’156 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.41
Warmth (BR) : 1.28
1945
Radiohuset, Studio 1
Copenhagen, Denmark
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 1’081
Voulme : 11’900 m3
Height : 17.7 m
Length : 18.6 m
Width : 33.5 m
10
V / ST : 11.8 m
V / SA : 16.5 m
V / N : 11 m3
SA / N : 0.67 m2
H / W : 0.53
L / W : 0.55
So : 288 m2
Sa : 605 m2
30
SA : 721 m2
ST : 1’009 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.58
Warmth (BR) : 1.07
129
1951a
Colston Hall
Bristol, Great Britain
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’121
Voulme : 13’450 m3
Height : 17.7 m
Length : 27.4 m
Width : 22.6 m
130

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 11.7 m
V / SA : 13.6 m
V / N : 6.34 m3
SA / N : 0.47 m2
H / W : 0.78
L / W : 1.21
So : 160 m2
Sa : 745 m2
SA : 987 m2
ST : 1’147 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.63
Decay time (EDT): 1.9s
Warmth (BR) : 1.05
1951b Free Trade Hall
Manchester, Great Britain
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’351
Voulme : 15’430 m3
Height : 20.7 m
Length : 28 m
Width : 24.4 m
10
V / ST : 9.92 m
V / SA : 11.2 m
V / N : 6.6 m3
SA / N : 0.58 m2
H / W : 0.85
L / W : 1.15
So : 100 m2
Sa : 1’057 m2
30
SA : 1’375 m2
ST : 1’555 m2
1-IACCE3 : Decay time (EDT) : Diffusivity (SDI) : Loudness (G mid) : 4.1dB
Warmth (BR) : 0.97
131
1951c
Royal Festival Hall
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’901
Voulme : 21’950 m3
Height : 15.2 m
Length : 36.8 m
Width : 32.3 m
132

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 10.2 m
V / SA : 11.1 m
V / N : 7.56 m3
SA / N : 0.68 m2
H / W : 0.47
L / W : 1.14
So : 173 m2
Sa : 1’540 m2
SA : 1’972 m2
ST : 2’145 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.63
Warmth (BR) : 1.17
1953
Herkulessaal
Munich, Germany
0
Type : Concert hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’287
Voulme : 13’590 m3
Height : 15.5 m
Length : 32 m
Width : 22 m
10
V / ST : 16.1 m
V / SA : 20.2 m
V / N : 10.6 m3
SA / N : 0.52 m2
H / W : 0.71
L / W : 1.46
So : 168 m2
Sa : 585.7 m2
30
SA : 674 m2
ST : 842 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
133
1954a
Musikhochschule Konzertsaal
Berlin, Germany
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Diamond
Seats : 1’032
Voulme : 9’600 m3
Height : 15 m
Length : 32 m
Width : 20 m
134

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 10.5 m
V / Sa : 13.0 m
V / N : 7.6 m3
Sa / N : 0.56 m2
H / W : 0.75
L / W : 1.6
So : 170 m2
Sa : 740 m2
SA : ST : 910 m2
1954b Aula Magna
Caracas, Venezuela
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 2’660
Voulme : 24’920 m3
Height : 17.7 m
Length : 31.1 m
Width : 57.6 m
10
V / ST : 11.9 m
V / SA : 13.2 m
V / N : 9.37 m3
SA / N : 0.71 m2
H / W : 0.31
L / W : 0.54
So : 204 m2
Sa : 1’580 m2
30
SA : 1’886 m2
ST : 2’090 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
135
1955a
Salle Musica
La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’032
Voulme : 7’780 m3
Height : 14 m
Length : 26.5 m
Width : 21 m
136

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 10.0 m
V / Sa : 12.0 m
V / N : 7.5 m3
Sa / N : 0.63 m2
H / W : 0.67
L / W : 1.26
So : 125 m2
Sa : 650 m2
SA : ST : 775 m2
1955b Academy of Music
Philadelphia, USA
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2’827
Voulme : 15’100 m3
Height : 19.5 m
Length : 31.1 m
Width : 17.7 m
10
V / ST : 8.7 m
V / SA : 10.4 m
V / N : 5.38 m3
SA / N : 0.52 m2
H / W : 1.1
L / W : 1.76
So : 59 m2
Sa : 1’300 m2
30
SA : 1’460 m2
ST : 1’740 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.47
Warmth (BR) : 1.12
137
1955c
Staatsoper
Vienna, Austria
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 1’709
Voulme : 10’665 m3
Height : 18.9 m
Length : 29.9 m
Width : 18.3 m
138

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 7.3 m
V / SA : 8.9 m
V / N : 6.24 m3
SA / N : 0.72 m2
H / W : 1.03
L / W : 1.63
So : 106.8 m2
Sa : 930 m2
SA : 1’194 m2
ST : 1’460 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.60
Warmth (BR) : 1.10
1956a
Neue Liederhalle
Stuttgart, Germany
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : asymmetric
Seats : 2’000
Voulme : 16’000 m3
Height : 13.4 m
Length : 41.8 m
Width : 36.2 m
10
V / ST : 10.4 m
V / SA : 12.3 m
V / N : 8.0 m3
SA / N : 0.65 m2
H / W : 0.37
L / W : 1.15
So : 176 m2
Sa : 1’000 m2
30
SA : 1’300 m2
ST : 1’533 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.44
Warmth (BR) : 1.00
139
1956b Tivoli Koncertsal
Copenhagen, Denmark
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Fan
Seats : 1’789
Voulme : 12’740 m3
Height : 13.7 m
Length : 32.3 m
Width : 33.2 m
140

Appendix :
Schemes
10
V / ST : 9.6 m
V / SA : 11.2 m
V / N : m3
SA / N : m2
H / W : 0.41
L / W : 0.97
So : 195 m2
Sa : 988 m2
30
SA : 1’136 m2
ST : 1’331 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
1957a
Kulttuuritalo
Helsinki, Finland
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Asymmetric
Seats : 1’500
Voulme : 10’025 m3
Height : 9.45 m
Length : 23.8 m
Width : 46 m
10
V / ST : 9 m
V / SA : 10.6 m
V / N : 6.7 m3
SA / N : 0.63 m2
H / W : 0.2
L / W : 0.52
So : 166 m2
Sa : 860 m2
30
SA : 946 m2
ST : 1’112 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
141
1957b Frederic R. Mann Auditorium
Tel Aviv, Isreal
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 2’715
Voulme : 21’240 m3
Height : 12.2 m
Length : 30.5 m
Width : 40.2 m
142

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 11 m
V / SA : 12.5 m
V / N : 6.76 m3
SA / N : 0.54 m2
H / W : 0.30
L / W : 0.76
So : 195 m2
Sa : 1’350 m2
SA : 1’700 m2
ST : 1’932 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.41
Warmth (BR) : 0.98
1957c
Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Edmonton, Canada
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 2’678
Voulme : 21’500 m3
Height : 15.8 m
Length : 40 m
Width : 34.8 m
10
V / ST : 10 m
V / SA : 11 m
V / N : 8.0 m3
SA / N : 0.73 m2
H / W : 0.46
L / W : 1.15
So : 186 m2
Sa : 1’500 m2
30
SA : 1’951 m2
ST : 2’137 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.49
Warmth (BR) : 0.99
143
1959
Beethovenhalle
Bonn, Germany
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Asymmetric
Seats : 1’407
Voulme : 15’728 m3
Height : 12.2 m
Length : 34.8 m
Width : 36.6 m
144

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 11.9 m
V / SA : 14.1 m
V / N : 11.2 m3
SA / N : 0.79 m2
H / W : 0.33
L / W : 0.95
So : 204 m2
Sa : 864 m2
SA : 1’115 m2
ST : 1’320 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
1960a
Festspielhaus
Salzburg, Austria
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Fan
Seats : 2’158
Voulme : 14’020 m3
Height : 14.3 m
Length : 29.6 m
Width : 32.9 m
10
V / ST : 9.9 m
V / SA : 11.3 m
V / N : 7.2 m3
SA / N : 0.30 m2
H / W : 0.44
L / W : 0.9
So : 195 m2
Sa : 1’058 m2
30
SA : 1’375 m2
ST : 1’570 m2
Warmth (BR) : 1.10
145
1960b Binyanei Ha’Oomah
Jerusalem, Israel
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 3’142
Voulme : 24’700 m3
Height : 13.7 m
Length : 37.2 m
Width : 47.6 m
146

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 10.3 m
V / SA : 11.6 m
V / N : 7.9 m3
SA / N : 0.68 m2
H / W : 0.29
L / W : 0.78
So : 260 m2
Sa : 1’672 m2
SA : 2’137 m2
ST : 2’400 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.55
Warmth (BR) : 1.05
1962
Avery Fisher Hall
New York, USA
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’742
Voulme : 20’400 m3
Height : 16.8 m
Length : 38.4 m
Width : 25.9 m
10
V / ST : 12.1 m
V / SA : 13.8 m
V / N : 7.44 m3
SA / N : 0.54 m2
H / W : 0.65
L / W : 1.5
So : 203 m2
Sa : 1’189 m2
30
SA : 1’480 m2
ST : 1’683 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.54
Warmth (BR) : 0.93
147
1963
Berlin Philharmonie
Berlin, Germany
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Freeform
Seats : 2’215 + 120
Voulme : 21’000 m3
Height : 12.8 m
Length : 29 m
Width : 42.7 m
148

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 13.5 m
V / SA : 15.2 m
V / N : 9 m3
SA / N : 0.62 m2
H / W : 0.3
L / W : 0.68
So : 172.5 m2
Sa : 1’057 m2
SA : 1’385 m2
ST : 1’558 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.46
Warmth (BR) : 1.01
1966
De Doelen Concertgebouw
Rotterdam, Netherlands
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Diamond
Seats : 2’242
Voulme : 24’070 m3
Height : 14.3 m
Length : 31.7 m
Width : 32.3 m
10
V / ST : 14.2 m
V / SA : 16 m
V / N : 10.7 m3
SA / N : 0.67 m2
H / W : 0.44
L / W : 0.98
So : 195 m2
Sa : 1’051 m2
30
SA : 1’509 m2
ST : 1’704 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.55
Warmth (BR) : 0.95
149
1972
Christenchurch Town Hall
Christenchurch, New Zealand
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Elliptic
Seats : 2’662
Voulme : 20’500 m3
Height : 18.6 m
Length : 28 m
Width : 29.3 m
150

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 12.7 m
V / SA : 14.5 m
V / N : 7.7 m3
SA / N : 0.53 m2
H / W : 0.64
L / W : 0.96
So : 194 m2
Sa : 1’127 m2
SA : 1’416 m2
ST : 1’610 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.55
Warmth (BR) : 1.06
1973a
Sydney Opera House
Sydney, Australia
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Diamond
Seats : 2’679
Voulme : 24’600 m3
Height : 16.8 m
Length : 31.7 m
Width : 33.2 m
10
V / ST : 14.0 m
V / SA : 15.7 m
V / N : 9.18 m3
SA / N : 0.58 m2
H / W : 0.50
L / W : 0.95
So : 180.7 m2
Sa : 1’362 m2
30
SA : 1’563 m2
ST : 1’744 m2
Diffusivity (SDI) : Loudness (G mid) : Intimacy (tI) : 36 msec
Warmth (BR) : -
151
1973b NHK Hall
Tokyo, Japan
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 3’677
Voulme : 25’200 m3
Height : 14.9 m
Length : 37.8 m
Width : 38.4 m
152

Appendix :
Schemes
10
V / ST : 12.5 m
V / SA : 13.8 m
V / N : 6.85 m3
SA / N : 0.5 m2
H / W : 0.39
L / W : 0.87
So : 193 m2
Sa : 1’458 m2
30
SA : 1’821 m2
ST : 2’014 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
1974
Minnesota Orchestra Hall
Minneapolis, USA
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’450
Voulme : 18’975 m3
Height : 16.5 m
Length : 38.1 m
Width : 40.8 m
10
V / ST : 10.7 m
V / SA : 12 m
V / N : 7.74 m3
SA / N : 0.64 m2
H / W : 0.57
L / W : 1.33
So : 203 m2
Sa : 1’266 m2
30
SA : 1’574 m2
ST : 1’777 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
153
1975
Bunka Kaikan
Tokyo, Japan
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Diamond
Seats : 2’327
Voulme : 17’300 m3
Height : 17.4 m
Length : 31.7 m
Width : 26.5 m
154

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 11.2 m
V / SA : 13.3 m
V / N : 7.4 m3
SA / N : 0.56 m2
H / W : 0.66
L / W : 1.2
So : 241 m2
Sa : 983 m2
SA : 1’301 m2
ST : 1’542 m2
1-IACCE3 : Decay time (EDT) : Diffusivity (SDI) : Loudness (G mid) : Intimacy (tI) : 14msec
Warmth (BR) : -
1976
Sala Nezahualcoyotl
Mexico City, Mexico
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 2’376
Voulme : 30’640 m3
Height : 15.8 m
Length : 34.4 m
Width : 40.8 m
10
V / ST : 15.7 m
V / SA : 18.2 m
V / N : 12.9 m3
SA / N : 0.71 m2
H / W : 0.39
L / W : 0.84
So : 270 m2
Sa : 1’476 m2
30
SA : 1’684 m2
ST : 1’954 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
155
1979
Abravanel Symphony Hall
Salt Lake City, USA
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’812
Voulme : 19’500 m3
Height : 16.5 m
Length : 37.8 m
Width : 29.3 m
156

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 10.3 m
V / SA : 11.7 m
V / N : 6.93 m3
SA / N : 0.59 m2
H / W : 0.56
L / W : 1.29
So : 218 m2
Sa : 1’486 m2
SA : 1’669m2
ST : 1’887 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.59
Warmth (BR) : 1.06
1981
Gewandhaus
Leipzig, Germany
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 1’900
Voulme : 21’000 m3
Height : 19.8 m
Length : 32.3 m
Width : 36 m
10
V / ST : 15.2 m
V / SA : 17.6 m
V / N : 11 m3
SA / N : 0.63 m2
H / W : 0.55
L / W : 0.90
So : 181 m2
Sa : 1’036 m2
30
SA : 1’197m2
ST : 1’378 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
157
1982a
Barbican Hall
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 2’026
Voulme : 17’750 m3
Height : 14.3 m
Length : 27.4 m
Width : 39.3 m
158

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 11.9 m
V / SA : 13.4 m
V / N : 8.76 m3
SA / N : 0.65 m2
H / W : 0.36
L / W : 0.70
So : 160 m2
Sa : 1’123 m2
SA : 1’326 m2
ST : 1’485 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.46
Warmth (BR) : 1.07
1982b Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Baltimore, USA
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Elliptic
Seats : 2’467
Voulme : 21’524 m3
Height : 18 m
Length : 35.4 m
Width : 29.3 m
10
V / ST : 12.9 m
V / SA : 14.5 m
V / N : 8.72 m3
SA / N : 0.60 m2
H / W : 0.61
L / W : 1.21
So : 186 m2
Sa : 1’196 m2
30
SA : 1’486 m2
ST : 1’672 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.54
Warmth (BR) : 1.10
159
1982c
Roy Thompson Hall
Toronto, Canada
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Elliptic
Seats : 2’812
Voulme : 28’300 m3
Height : 23.2 m
Length : 27.1 m
Width : 31.1 m
160

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 14.9 m
V / SA : 16.8 m
V / N : 10.1 m3
SA / N : 0.60 m2
H / W : 0.74
L / W : 0.87
So : 222 m2
Sa : 1’401 m2
SA : 1’681 m2
ST : 1’903 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.54
Warmth (BR) : 1.10
1982d St. David’s Hall
Wales, Great Britain
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 1’952
Voulme : 22’000m3
Height : 18 m
Length : 27.4 m
Width : 27.4 m
10
V / ST : 15.5 m
V / SA : 17.8 m
V / N : 11.2 m3
SA / N : 0.63 m2
H / W : 0.66
L / W : 1.0
So : 186 m2
Sa : 1’000 m2
30
SA : 1’235 m2
ST : 1’420 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.60
Warmth (BR) : 0.96
161
1982e
Symphony Hall
Osaka, Japan
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’702
Voulme : 17’800 m3
Height : 20.7 m
Length : 28.3 m
Width : 31.7 m
162

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 11.7 m
V / SA : 14.4 m
V / N : 10.5 m3
SA / N : 0.725 m2
H / W : 0.65
L / W : 0.89
So : 285 m2
Sa : 908 m2
SA : 1’236 m2
ST : 1’521 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.56
Warmth (BR) : 1.00
1985a
Pátria Hall
Budapest, Hungary
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 1’750
Voulme : 13’400 m3
Height : 13.1 m
Length : 26.2 m
Width : 42.1 m
10
V / ST : 9.3 m
V / SA : 10.4 m
V / N : 7.66 m3
SA / N : 0.73 m2
H / W : 0.31
L / W : 0.62
So : 156 m2
Sa : 1’140 m2
30
SA : 1’286 m2
ST : 1’442 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
163
1985b Philharmonie am Gasteig
Munich, Germany
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Asymmetric
Seats : 2’387 + 100
Voulme : 29’737 m3
Height : 14.6 m
Length : 40.8 m
Width : 51.2 m
164

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 15.9 m
V / SA : 18.1 m
V / N : 12.4 m3
SA / N : 0.69 m2
H / W : 0.29
L / W : 0.80
So : 230 m2
Sa : 1’329 m2
SA : 1’639 m2
ST : 1’869 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.49
Warmth (BR) : 1.00
1986a
Suntory
Tokyo, Japan
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’006
Voulme : 21’000 m3
Height : 16.5 m
Length : 30.5 m
Width : 31.1 m
10
V / ST : 13.1 m
V / SA : 15.4 m
V / N : 10.5 m3
SA / N : 0.68 m2
H / W : 0.53
L / W : 0.98
So : 235 m2
Sa : 1’042 m2
30
SA : 1’364 m2
ST : 1’600 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.53
Warmth (BR) : -
165
1986b Segerstrom Hall
California, USA
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Asymmetric
Seats : 2’903
Voulme : 27’800 m3
Height : 24.4 m
Length : 36.2 m
Width : 41.5 m
166

Appendix :
Schemes
10
V / ST : 14.2 m
V / SA : 18.5 m
V / N : 9.58 m3
SA / N : 0.6 m2
H / W : 0.59
L / W : 0.88
So : 223 m2
Sa : 1’504 m2
30
SA : 1’742 m2
ST : 1’965 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.62
Warmth (BR) : 1.32
1987a
Cultural Centre Concert Hall
Taipei, Taiwan
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’074
Voulme : 16’700 m3
Height : 18 m
Length : 26.8 m
Width : 32.3 m
10
V / ST : 10.9 m
V / SA : 13.2 m
V / N : 8 m3
SA / N : 0.61 m2
H / W : 0.67
L / W : 1.2
So : 269 m2
Sa : 1’022 m2
30
SA : 1’261 m2
ST : 1’530 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
167
1987b Kammermusiksaal der Philharmonie
Berlin, Germany
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Freeform
Seats : 1’138
Voulme : 11’000m3
Height : 11.3 m
Length : 18.3 m
Width : 48.5m
168

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 12.1 m
V / SA : 13.6 m
V / N : 9.66 m3
SA / N : 0.71 m2
H / W : 0.23
L / W : 0.38
So : 78.2 m2
Sa : 618 m2
SA : 810 m2
ST : 907 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
1989a
Eugene McDermott Concert Hall
Dallas, USA
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2’065
Voulme : 23’900 m3
Height : 26.2 m
Length : 30.8 m
Width : 25.6 m
10
V / ST : 16.4 m
V / SA : 20.6 m
V / N : 11.6 m3
SA / N : 0.56 m2
H / W : 1.02
L / W : 1.2
So : 250 m2
Sa : 980 m2
30
SA : 1’161 m2
ST : 1’460 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
169
1989b Orchard Hall
Tokyo, Japan
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 2’150
Voulme : 20’500m3
Height : 23 m
Length : 38.4 m
Width : 24.4 m
170

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 13.4 m
V / SA : 15.6 m
V / N : 9.53 m3
SA / N : 0.61 m2
H / W : 0.94
L / W : 1.57
So : 217 m2
Sa : 1’000 m2
SA : 1’314 m2
ST : 1’531 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
1989c
Opéra Bastille
Paris, France
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Elliptic
Seats : 2’700
Voulme : 21’000 m3
Height : 21.3 m
Length : 31.1 m
Width : 16.2 m
Reverberation t : 1.55 s
10
V / ST : 10.8 m
V / SA : 13.8 m
V / N : 7.8 m3
SA / N : 0.56 m2
H / W : 0.66
L / W : 1.16
So : 186 m2
Sa : 1’286 m2
30
SA : 1’522 m2
ST : 1’951 m2
Warmth (BR) : 1.05
171
1990a
Metropolitan Art Space
Tokyo, Japan
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Fan
Seats : 2’017
Voulme : 25’000 m3
Height : 15.5 m
Length : 35 m
Width : 28 m
172

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 16.5 m
V / SA : 19 m
V / N : 12.4 m3
SA / N : 0.65 m2
H / W : 0.55
L / W : 1.25
So : 207 m2
Sa : 929 m2
SA : 1’312 m2
ST : 1’519 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.48
Warmth (BR) : -
1990b Royal Concert Hall
Glasgow, Great Britain
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 2’459
Voulme : 22’700 m3
Height : 19.2 m
Length : 27.8 m
Width : 32.9 m
10
V / ST : 14.3 m
V / SA : 16.6 m
V / N : 9.23 m3
SA / N : 0.56 m2
H / W : 0.58
L / W : 0.83
So : 218 m2
Sa : 1’074 m2
30
SA : 1’365 m2
ST : 1’584 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.77
Warmth (BR) : 1.12
173
1991
Symphony Hall
Birmingham, Great Britain
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Horseshoe
Seats : 2’211
Voulme : 25’000 m3
Height : 22.9 m
Length : 31.7 m
Width : 27.4 m
174

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 15.6 m
V / SA : 18.9 m
V / N : 11.3 m3
SA / N : 0.60 m2
H / W : 0.83
L / W : 1.15
So : 279 m2
Sa : 1’031 m2
SA : 1’320 m2
ST : 1’599 m2
Warmth (BR) : -
1992
Hamarikyu Asahi Hall
Tokyo, Japan
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 552
Voulme : 5’800 m3
Height : 12 m
Length : 24.7 m
Width : 15 m
10
V / ST : 11.4 m
V / SA : 13.3 m
V / N : 10.5 m3
SA / N : 0.79 m2
H / W : 0.8
L / W : 1.65
So : 73 m2
Sa : 283 m2
30
SA : 395 m2
ST : 468 m2
1-IACCE3 : 0.40
Warmth (BR) : -
175
1994
Seiji Ozawa Hall
Massachussets, USA
0
Type : Concert Hall
Shape : Rectangular
Seats : 1’180
Voulme : 11’610 m3
Height : 14.9 m
Length : 28.6 m
Width : 20.7 m
176

Appendix :
Schemes
10
30
V / ST : 12.3 m
V / SA : 15.7 m
V / N : 9.83 m3
SA / N : 0.63 m2
H / W : 0.72
L / W : 1.38
So : 202 m2
Sa : 496 m2
SA : 739 m2
ST : 941 m2
Warmth (BR) : 1.32
1999
Indiana University Auditorium
Bloomington, USA
0
Type : Theater
Shape : Fan
Seats : 3’718
Voulme : 25’545 m3
Height : 13.7 m
Length : 52.7 m
Width : 39.3 m
10
V / ST : 9.72 m
V / SA : 10.7 m
V / N : 6.9 m3
SA / N : 0.64 m2
H / W : 0.35
L / W : 1.34
So : 81.6 m2
Sa : 1’915 m2
30
SA : 2’391 m2
ST : 2’626 m2
Warmth (BR) : 1.12
177
references
REFERENCES
•
ADAM, Max, Raum und Bauakustik, Blauen, Schweizer Baudokumentation, 1985.
•
ANDO & NOSON, Ando & Dennis, Music & Concert Hall Acoustics, London,
Academic Press, 1997.
•
ANDO, Yoichi, Architectural Acoustics - Blending Sound Sources, Sound Fields and
Listeners, USA, Springers-Verlag New York Inc., 1998.
•
ANDO, Yoichi, Concert Hall Acoustics and Opera House Acoustics, in: Journal of sound
and vibration vol. 258 no. 3, Elsevier Science, 2002.
•
BARRON, Michael, Auditorium Acoustics and Architectural Design, England, E & FN
Spon, 1993.
•
America, 1996.
•
BERANEK, Leo, Concert Halls and Opera Houses, USA, Springer-Verlag New York, 2004.
•
BOYER, Guy, La salle Pleyel, Lausanne, connaissance des arts, 2006.
•
CAVANAUGH & WILKES, William & Joseph, Architectural Acoustics - principles and
practice, USA, John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1999.
•
CLASIEN, Delphine, Une salle de concert à Maastricht, Lausanne, Projet de Master
EPFL, 1997.
•
FORSYTH, Michael, Architecture et musique, Belgium, Pierre Mardaga, 1985.
•
GRUENEISEN, Peter, Soundspace, Berlin, Birkhäuser, 2003.
•
HAMAYON, Loïc, Réussir l’acoustique d’un bâtiment, Paris, Groupe Moniteur, 2006.
•
KADEN, Christian, Das Unerhörte und das Unerhörbare, Kassel, Bärenreiter Verlag,
2004.
•
LONG, Marshall, Architectural Acoustics, USA, Elsevier Academic Press, 2006.
181
•
MEHTA & JOHNSON & ROCAFORT, Madan & James & Jorge, Architectural
Acoustics - Principles and Design, USA, Prentice-Hall Inc., 1999.
•
MÜLLER, Helmut A., Die wissenschaftlichen Grundlagen der Raumakustik, Stuttgart,
Hirzel Verlag, 1978.
•
PASCHA, Khaled Saleh, Gefrorene Musik, Berlin, Dissertation for a Doctor in Engeneering, 2004.
•
ROSSI, Mario, Audio, Lausanne, Presses polytechnique et universitaires romandes, 2007.
•
THOMPSON, Emily, The Soundscape of Modernity, USA, The MIT Press, 2002.
•
XENAKIS, Iannis, musique de l’architecture, Marseilles, Editions Parenthèses, 2006.
•
ZIMMERMANN & ZUMSTEIN, Marc & Simon, Une salle de concert et un hôtel à
Burgdorf, Lausanne, Projet de Master EPFL, 1998.
182

183
index
INDEX
A
Absorption
Acoustical area
Amsterdam
Concertgebouw
55
57, 86
112
Ando, Yoichi
xii
Aspendum
Theater at Aspendum
91
Asymmetric. See Form
Athens
Odeon of Agrippa
90
Berlin
Berlin Philharmonie
148
Kammermusiksaal
168
Konzerthaus Berlin
102
Musikhochschule Konzertsaal134
Birmingham
Symphony Hall
174
Bloomington
Indiana University Auditorium
177
Bonn
Beethovenhalle
144
Boston
Symphony Hall
117
B
BR. See Bass ratio
Baltimore
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Bristol
Colston Hall
130
Brussels
Palais des Beaux-Arts
122
Budapest
Pátria Hall
163
Buenos Aires
Teatro Colón
118
Buffalo
Kleinhans Music Hall
128
159
Baroque music
16
Baroque period
15
Basel
Stadtcasino
Bass ratio
100
87
Bayreuth
Festspielhaus
108
Beranek, Leo
22
187
C
D
California
Segerstrom Hall
Dallas
Eugene McDermott Concert Hall
166
169
Caracas
Aula Magna
135
Cathedral
11
Chicago
Orchestra Hall
E
114
Christenchurch
Christenchurch Town Hall 150
Church
Circumfluent.
arrangement
9, 10, 13, 15
See Seating
Classical music
17
Classical period
17
Cleveland
Severance Hall
124
Concert
Concert hall
Constantinople
Church of St. Sophia
Copenhagen
Radiohuset, Studio 1
Tivoli Koncertsal
188
Index
Diamond. See Form
Early Christian period
Early-decay-time
Edinburgh
Usher Hall
9
86
119
Edmonton
Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
143
EDT. See Early-decay-time
Elliptic. See Form
34
17, 21
93
Ensemble
70
Envelopment
62
Epidaurus
F
Field of interest
129
140
88, 89
Form
Asymmetric
Diamond
Elliptic
xii
37
37, 81
37
Fan
Freeform
Horseshoe
Semi circle
Semi elliptic
Shoebox
36
37
17, 36
36
36
19, 36
IACC. See interaural
correlation coefficient
cross-
Initial-time-delay gap
60, 87
Instrumental music
Freeform. See Form
Frequency
I
55
Frontal. See Seating arrangement
16
Interaural cross-correlation coefficient
86
Intimacy
60, 87
G
Geneva
Victoria Hall
Glasgow
St. Andrew Hall
Gothenburg
Konserthus
J
115
109
125
Gothic period
11
Greek period
7
H
Helsinki
Kulttuuritalo
Hertz
Horseshoe. See Form
141
55
Jerusalem
Binyanei Ha’Oomah
146
L
La Chaux-de-Fonds
Salle Musica
136
Lateral. See Seating arrangement
Leipzig
Gewandhaus
neues Gewandhaus
157
110
Liverpool
Philharmonic Hall
127
London
Barbican Hall
Royal Albert Hall
Royal Concert Hall
Royal Festival Hall
158
106
173
132
189
Royal Opera House
Loudness
104
86
M
New York
Avery Fisher Hall
Carnegie Hall
Eastman Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Manchester
Free Trade Hall
131
Massachusetts
Seiji Ozawa Hall
Tanglewood Music Shed
176
126
Opera
Methodology
xiii
Osaka
Symphony Hall
Mexico City
Sala Nezahualcoyotl
155
17
101
Minneapolis
Minnesota Orchestra Hall
153
Monody
Munich
Herkulessaal
Philharmonie am Gasteig
Mystery play
Index
45
11
9
133
164
11
147
113
120
111
O
Odea
Milan
Alla Scala
La Scalla
Teatro alla Scala
Miracle play
190
N
Organum
7
15, 17
10
162
P
Paris
Cathédrale Notre-Dame
Opéra Bastille
Opéra Garnier
Salle Pléyel
Parma
Teatro Farnese
Philadelphia
Academy of Music
95
171
107
121
98
137
Plainchant
11
Polyphony
11
Problematics
xi
Program
79
Reflection
55
Circumfluent
Frontal
Lateral
Renaissance
13
Semi circle. See Form
R
Reverberation time
22, 56, 85
Romanesque Period
10
Roman period
40
40
40
Semi elliptic. See Form
Shoebox. See Form
7
Site
77
Romantic music
19
Song
31
Romantic period
19
Sound
53
Rome
Church of St. Peter
sound wave
54
92
Spaciousness
86
Speech
16
Strength factor
86
Rotterdam
De Doelen Concertgebouw
149
Stuttgart
Neue Liederhalle
S
Sabbioneta
Teatro Sabbioneta
139
97
Surface diffusicity index
62
Sabine, Wallace Clement 5, 22
Surface diffusivity index
86
Salt Lake City
Abravanel Symphony Hall
156
Sydney
Sydney Opera House
Salzburg
Festspielhaus
145
T
San Francisco
War Memorial Opera House 123
Schelling, Friedrich
151
4
Taipei
Cultural Centre Concert Hall167
Tel Aviv
Frederic R. Mann Auditorium142
SDI. See Surface diffusivity index
Theater
Seating arrangement
Tokyo
7, 13, 15, 21, 34
191
Bunka Kaikan
Hamarikyu Asahi Hall
Metropolitan Art Space
NHK Hall
Orchard Hall
Suntory
154
175
172
152
170
165
Toronto
Roy Thompson Hall
160
V
Venice
Basilica di San Marco
Alla Scala
Teatro di Giovanni e Paolo
94
17
99
Vicenza
Teatro Olympico
96
Vienna
Grosser Musikvereinssaal
Staatsoper
Vineyard-style
Vitruvius, Pollio
105
138
71, 81
8
W
Wales
St. David’s Hall
Warmth
Worcester
Mechanics Hall
192
Index
161
61, 87
103
Z
Zurich
Grosser Tonhallesaal
116
193
Since this book is a work that was created as a frozen image of a research
that is still in progress, there is no final conclusion. But I would like to
thank a number of people that helped me during this work with important
comments and aid for the creation of this book:
Jeffrey Huang for having me accepted as a master student.
Hervé Lissek for important help on acoustical questions.
Nathaniel Zuelzke for countless comments and correction of this current paper and the actual advancement of the research.
my brother for drawing some of these schemes.
my father and my mother for giving me general hints for comprehension problems.
and ... numerous friends for helpful comments, hints and discussions
on representation, formulation and the problematics of acoustics and
concert hall design.