Haveyou ever entertained the possibility of experiencing a space based onlistening? Or sound quality, not the acoustic route, we have plenty of thatalready in concert halls or theatres, have you ever heard of auralarchitecture? It becomes extremely interesting to think and understand whathappens in a space or building beyond its acoustics when experienced via oursense of hearing, along with gaining another element that can significantlyinfluence us as we listen. It has been said that every single one of our environmentshas aural architecture, and it is that aspect of “ realand virtual spaces that produces an emotional, behavioural, and visceral responsein inhabitants. A space can produce feelings of intimacy, anxiety, isolation, connectedness, warmth, as well as a mystical sense of spirituality”, feelingsyou can perceive in a church or memorial for example, furthermore “ Such responses parallel those of visualarchitecture, except that the space is experienced by listening rather thanseeing”. Imagine walking into a spacewith your eyes closed and just listening to the sounds around you, if you’rereligious think about being in a church on Sunday mass listening to the sereneand melodic sounds flowing through the space, giving you warmth and the feelingof being closer to God, we are usually not aware that aural architecture itselfis a sensory stimulus but we react to it either way. In the book spacesspeak are you listening Blesser and Salter recognized the sense of hearing “ as a means by which humans sense the events oflife, aurally visualize spatial geometry, propagate cultural symbols, stimulateemotions, communicate aural information, experience the movement of time, buildsocial relationships, and retain a memory of experiences”.
Unappreciated, yet very important, aural architecture influences all of these functions, additionallyit is also seen as a “ sociocultural force” in which people can also arrange surroundsound systems in their living rooms or choose their desirable movie or theatreseats, and that if designers and architects were to notice and recognize thelanguage and importance of aural architecture then it can create a massiveimprovement in social cohesion. “ We are all aural architects at home, the ear resides in a way the waycan’t”, states Finnish architect JuhaniPallasmaa he designed the International MoscowBank with a series of ramps draped in courtyards meant to broadcast the soundsof the visitor’s footsteps, he reveals “ Ihave always found a special pleasure and intimacy in hearing my own footstepsechoed from walls and buildings in the streets of old towns, especially in thequiet of the night. I wanted the visitors to my buildings to have the samemomentary experience of spatial interaction and belonging.”