HN investigates the effects that the introduction of natural sounds and contextually logical esthetical elements in private and public spaces has on elevating the outing experience to another level

New structures of varying sizes are appearing regularly at a fast pace worldwide. While the designs differ, depending on several basic parameters, one consideration is increasingly being factored into that equation, and nowhere has this become more evident than in the hospitality sector. This additional layer, which comes under the label of ‘experiential architecture’, is called ‘soundscaping’. In contrast to landscaping, which focuses on esthetics, this latest concept, as expected, puts the emphasis on sound. The priority, however, is to incorporate sound into external/internal spaces, while keeping the hardware invisible. While the idea might sound (no pun intended) straightforward, it can nonetheless present challenges.

HN talked to acoustical engineer Tom Schindler PE, senior vice president at Charles M. Salter Associates Inc., a San Francisco-based consulting firm founded in 1975 with an average of 900 annual projects throughout the world, to find out more.

Why has ‘soundscaping’ become so important today?
The connection to the natural world can be beneficial to the health and productivity of people who, since the industrial age, have become more isolated from the constructive stimuli the natural environment offers. Modern sustainable building design has given priorities to natural light/ventilation, views to the exterior and in some design esthetics, visual earth-tone colors and plantings.
The addition of one aspect of the natural world, is only now catching up with these longer-adopted elements, namely natural sounds, referred to as ‘soundscape’. It is the aural matching element to the visual contribution of landscapes. These can be very valuable in their contribution to a hospitality patron’s overall experience.

What are some of the main challenges?
Since it is impractical to bring all of nature’s actual sound sources into the interior environment (running water is possible but expensive, animals practically impossible), the soundscape designer is tasked with creating an at least semiconscious ‘suspension of disbelief’ with regard to natural sounds. To achieve this the following must be considered:
Visual concealment: an obvious clue that audible natural sounds are not genuine is the sight of the loudspeakers producing these. Using various types of visually occluding, but acoustically permeable finishes, the soundscape system designer and architect can create the basis for sounds that can seem to come from everywhere and nowhere; an envelopment.
Sonic fidelity: sound quality is another very important factor. The extent and evenness of the soundscape systems frequency response, lack of audible distortion and noise are a must. The system should faithfully reproduce the highest-frequency content of bird-chirps, as well as lower frequencies associated with higher-volume running water and/or wind through the trees.
Content: by nature’s nature, events and their corresponding sounds are essentially random in terms of location (within the listening space) and timing. Other factors, such as intended location type (e.g. forest, marsh, creek-side, etc.), and implied time of day and/or season, are more predictable. At the extreme, samples of natural sounds (both transient, such as a bird call, as well as more continuous, such as running water) could be generated using an algorithm that creates semi-random sequences.
Visual synchronicity: if the sounds of the forest are introduced into a space with a clean, white, flat, rectilinear visual aesthetic, devoid of any natural visual elements, the effect would most likely be comical at best and jarring at worst. The visual and aural elements must combine in a convincing way to create a believable presentation.

Bringing the outside world into the interior built environment can have real value across the board that many hospitality customers are often seeking. Current technology and increased awareness on the part of designers, hospitality developers and operators greatly value from creating this environment that offers some boundless opportunities for a new level of experience.

LORENZO BRUSCI’S SOUND PHILOSOPHY

Lorenzo Brusci is undoubtedly one of the more interesting and captivating thinkers and critics of art appreciation and modern culture. He has become known for his deeply original work on sound-experience, music, architecture and related landscape spaces. Brusci has also developed theories that challenge the established conception of sound.

Born in 1966, Brusci studied Philosophy and Philosophy of Music at the Florence and Siena University. Since the late 1990s, he has experimented with the most abstract of theoretical conventions – how sound can be experienced intellectually and within measureable parameters. “Landscape knows no size or style,” he iterated, “unlike music that allows one to construct shapes using imaginative architecture.”

Addressing the 15th edition of The Garden Show & Spring Festival, which took place at the Beirut Hippodrome, Brusci spoke for more than half an hour without notes and then fielded questions from an enthralled audience.

According to Brusci, a sonic landscape design is made from the essence of silence. Silence is like the blank screen onto which ideas are projected. All emerging sounds are defined by silence; even words erupt from a base of wordlessness, and music can be contained in a vacuum. “Lorenzo makes you hear the silence within the sound of a song,” explained Micheline Wehbe, a member of the Order of Architects and Engineers, an organization that researches his ideas.

His ideas concerning sonic gardens are widely praised. The theory assumes that sound has the power to create architecture in places devoid of substance. Brusci believes that the experience of sound on the individual is truly transcendent. The mind responds to sound by creating shapes and other mental conditions and these have an emotional impact on the individual. Thus, sound gardens can trigger emotional responses from listeners and bring about a positive balance in their moods. Sound has the ability to transform spatial experiences, no matter the geographical location.

MADE TO ORDER

Seeing a need to offer a service to the thriving F&B sector in Lebanon, Delphine Gebran Interior Architect was created eight years ago. Comprising a young and dynamic team, Gebran’s company began to grow exponentially and today has an impressive portfolio of private and public projects, both locally and throughout the region, with an emphasis on restaurant design.

What is this type of design all about?
Some believe that it only relates to picking colors and fabrics. However, the process also involves having technical knowledge of how restaurants work. In getting these outlets to function as intended, considerations such as flow and movement are central. In that regard, we also need to create an environment that is both right and efficient by imagining how everyone inside the space will interact. After all, the objective is to create a unique world to keep the visitors coming back, since offering delicious food alone is no longer a sufficient recipe for success, but is rather a prerequisite.

To what extent can the design contribute to the effectiveness of the space?
All the incorporated elements contribute to the operations of that space. If guests find difficulty, for instance, in grabbing a drink from the bar area, or their hot food arrives cold, then the space has failed. What is central is to have the front and back of house function in tandem.

What are three main factors to consider prior to the design phase?
A well-thought-out approach begins with extensive market research, continues with gaining a firm grasp of current and future lifestyle trends and concludes with strategic execution. However, there is a pitfall a designer should take heed of. Plenty of architects adopt trends without understanding them and end up falling victim to them. Therefore, research concepts should not be based on what is out there, as these designs will become outdated by the time the project is completed. For this reason, it’s important to look beyond the dominant style and strive to create something unique and timeless.

What are the challenges when adapting foreign concepts to the local setting?
The character of a restaurant should represent and reflect the relationship between the space, its food and surrounding community. As a result, the design should make sense on a local level to arrive at and achieve a sense of the familiar.

What design flaws are common to restaurants?
People generally dislike sitting near the kitchen, restrooms and entrances, which is why it is very important to study the view from each seat and try to find an advantage for the visitors who will be occupying the available spaces.

What factors affect visitors’ length of stay?
The furniture needs to have visual appeal and should not only be practical, but also durable. Another design layer is lighting, which should be well thought out. Remember that in a fast-paced world, the notion of luxury has transformed from rich interiors to unique experiences.