How classical ideas inform 21st century architectural acoustics

Abstract

This presentation was inspired by John Prokos' essay in Worship Space Acoustics: 3 Decades of Design. It will be a joint presentation by Prokos, an architect and Foulkes, an acoustician. It was Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, the great First Century Roman architect and engineer, who first set forth the famous triumvirate of firmness (structure), commodity (usefulness), and delight (beauty) as the ideals of the architect. Even in today's digital age, these three tenets are as applicable as ever, nowhere more so than in architectural acoustics. This session will consider examples of buildings and spaces whose acoustics are as compelling as their visual design. For firmness, we will look at several examples including Gund Partnership's athletic center at Kenyon College, whose dramatic vaulted glass and steel structure nonetheless allow excellent acoustics. For commodity, among the projects we present is the Young Israel Symagogue in Brookline, MA, a collaboration between the two presenters, which has the flexibility to accommodate varied worship services and gatherings to meet the congregations's changing needs. Among the buildings demonstrating delight is Cavanaugh Tocci's work on the 1100 seat Oratory at Ave Maria University in Florida, a classically inspired church that seeks to replicate the acoustics of the great European cathedrals.