According to this study, visual and auditory senses are inextricably linked. The article, published in Scientific Reports, examines how our brains’ ability to track visual stimuli is measurably affected by auditory input. In other words, our perception of reality is an amalgamation of all our senses. It’s why we turn the music down while parallel parking in a tight spot or close our eyes while trying to remember the title of a song on the radio. We are incapable of isolating our senses while taking in the world around us, yet many design disciplines only account for the visual, leaving the rest entirely to chance.
Many artists have no ability to control the sonic environment in which their art exists, but nevertheless, the auditory will carry significant weight in how their work is perceived. Some artists have recently begun to explore the impact of sound by curating soundscapes – sound installations using layered recordings to create a highly controlled sonic environment with an intended sensory effect.
Or, more obviously, musicians go to great lengths to curate sound into powerful art. But what these different disciplines have in common is that they are primarily targeted to affect one or at most two of our five senses. Architects, on the other hand, work in the medium of space, which inherently engages all five.
Architecture: The Holistic Medium
While visual art or music may be narrowly aimed at the senses of sight or sound and can write off the rest as merely incidental, architects and interior designers must consider anything that may influence one’s experience in their spaces. Their medium is a cumulative effect of all 5 senses, and when done well, it can measurably impact intangible feelings like abstract thinking, freedom, and creativity, according to Architect Magazine.
Among an architect’s most classic tools for evoking those feelings are the visual grandeur of high ceilings, the warmth of natural light, the textures of different building materials, and the sonic effects those materials produce. These sensory qualities don’t simply enhance aesthetic pleasure; they work together to create an impression that engages all the senses. But how exactly does sound fit in?
Designing Sound in Space
Modern architects have developed astounding technology to carefully sculpt a building’s sonic properties before a drop of concrete is ever poured, but it’s rarely employed in contexts other than concert halls or sports arenas. Aside from these specific use cases where musical acoustics or crowd noise play a key role in a building’s function, sonic architecture is rarely explored beyond reducing outside traffic noise or damping the ruckus from an upstairs neighbor. In these scenarios, sound and architecture are in opposition, where the latter works only to mitigate the former.
This attempt at control reflects how an architect approaches visual design, or more broadly, how any artist approaches their medium of choice. Buildings, like art pieces, are planned down to the last millimeter, and the look of every wall, rug, and doorknob can be manipulated to create an intended effect. Musicians carefully tune their instruments for perfect pitch, and chefs know the exact balance of spices to achieve a desired flavor. In all these instances, the artist maintains total control of their craft, delivering a finished, final result to an expectant audience.
However, while some unwanted noise can be stifled, and new materials allow for greater control over sonic qualities like reverberance, ultimately, how a building sounds will be defined by those who inhabit it. No amount of acoustic panelling could take center stage over the iconic whoosh! of steam wands in a coffee shop or the gentle murmur of dinner conversation at a restaurant. Music might serve as a controlled backdrop, but in the end, a building’s soundscape will always be a collaboration between occupant and architect.
Collaboration, Not Control
Designers can’t simply pop on a soundtrack and force occupants to feel good, though many have tried. Muzak in elevators, top-40 pop hits in department stores, or even live piano in upscale venues might be pleasant and agreeable, but they exist outside a collaborative effort to build a sonic landscape. As such, they feel, at best, detached from the spaces they inhabit and, at worst, grating or even condescending.
A space that feels good is not one that attempts to force its occupant to feel good, but one that allows them the freedom and comfort to breathe deeper and think clearly without environmental impediments. If someone having a terrible day walks through the door of a building and hears upbeat, feel-good music, it will likely only highlight their negative emotions by contrast. If that same person enters a building to a gentle, soothing, and subtle soundscape, it will give them a reprieve, making that space a refuge from stressors. This is, in part, how good sonic architecture is a collaboration between the occupant and the architect.
In these examples, the independent emotions of individuals occupying a space are in dialogue with the way that space sounds, but the two are also in dialogue in a more literal way. People make noise. Footsteps, conversation, sneezing, dropping an empty metal water bottle – all of these sounds contribute to a space’s sonic landscape, and the architect and designer have no say in any of them. So how can they ensure their spaces feel good to be in, not just look good when viewed, if they cannot control how they sound?
As Good as It Sounds
The answer lies in collaboration. Architects and designers must participate in dialogue with their occupants, not stand at a lectern and dictate. Any inhabited space will come with unwanted noises, such as those mentioned above. The solution isn’t to drown them out with louder, more pleasant sounds, but to understand the milieu of human activity as part of a sonic environment of a space.
Think of the blast of steam wands in the coffee shop mentioned before, or the low hum of tumbling dryers at a laundromat. These predictable, peaceful, and constant blankets of sound help make spaces feel cozy, even when superseded by human chatter and hubbub. In addition to softening some of the harsher inevitabilities of an organic soundscape, these sounds give spaces identity and contribute greatly to creating a sense of presence. But designers can take the additional step of layering in intentional sonic elements to bolster existing positive acoustic architecture.
These can take many forms, such as the splashing of a fountain, adding a peaceful sonic background to the din of a mall food court, or the crackling fire in the otherwise coldly silent lobby of a ski lodge. These are intentional design choices that contribute to the auditory makeup of a space without dominating it or dictating a feeling. In this capacity, Split Flap boards and their gentle, rainlike shuffling can make a significant contribution to creating a peaceful, pleasant environment in any space. Elements like these work in tandem with serendipitous ambient sounds from people and businesses. Together, they add a subtle richness to a space that mitigates any disruptive or unwanted sounds without attempting to silence them.
Designers should aim to contribute to the sonic landscape in a manner that pleases without distracting – soothing sounds you could still parallel park your car to (that album is still in the works). It’s a delicate balance, but striking it well can elevate a space’s effect on its inhabitants. These are the thoughtful touches that allow architects to deal in the intangible medium of presence and deliver very tangible results.
Okay, prove it.
Much of this discussion takes place in the immaterial spaces between music, architecture, and the storied discipline of curating “vibes.” But there is hard evidence about how soundscapes – whether they belong to entire cities or individual rooms – can have major positive psychological impacts. There is a blossoming academic field studying the relationship between sound and individual well-being. Findings typically highlight the dangers posed by loud, distracting noises and underscore the benefits of soft, unobtrusive background sounds.
Specifically, this study, published in the journal Nature, found that soothing tones result in “better cognitive performance… as well as enhanced creativity and lower stress levels” among the young adults who participated. So while scientists can empirically prove the benefits of intentionally curating a pleasant soundscape, there’s something intrinsically human and emotional about doing so as well.
We don’t need a study to tell us that a pleasant, peaceful sonic environment will have a positive impact on our temperament, much in the same way there’s no chart or data that could explain why a reggaeton bop can rob a monster of its ability to frighten. In both cases, the importance of sound cannot be understated. It has a decided emotional effect on us at nearly all times, whether we are aware of it or not. But when it comes to creating a pleasing sonic effect, it might suffice to say you’ll simply know it when you hear it.