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Arhitektonsko – muzicka instalacija u javnom prostoru, za Industrijski kompleks Ekerstrijt (Ekkerstrijt) NOX & Edvin van der Hajde (Edwin van der Heide) NOX architects: Lars Spajbruk (Lars Spuybroek), sa saradnicima Chris Seung-woo Yoo, Josef Glas, Ludovica Tramontin, Kris Mun, Geri Stavreva i Nicola Lammers Son en Brojgel, (Son en Breugel), Holandija, 2000-2004

Arhitektura predstavlja disciplinu koja se bavi oblikovanjem prostora i ispunjavanje funkcionalnih zahteva tog prostora. Zvuk nas bezuslovno okružuje, mi ga opažamo culom sluha koje ne može da se “iskljuci”. Zvuk cini osnovu atmosfere u prostoru, on je prateci cinilac svake aktivnosti.

Son-O-House je interaktivni zvucni objekat. Nalazi se u velikom industrijskom parku, uz auto-put koji vodi od Ajndhovena (Eindhoven) do Son en Brojgela, u posebnom delu koji je rezervisan za IT (Information Technology) kompanije i industriju novih medija. Grad Son en Brojgel i bord Ekerstrijt industije narucili su objekat koji treba da podrži identitet prostora i koji nije samo tehnološki krik vec i specifican javni prostor.

Ovo je kuca gde zvukovi žive, struktura koja se odnosi na stanovanje i pokrete tela. Telo kuce protkano je širokim pokretima tela u hodniku ili sobi i kratkim pokretima oko lavaboa ili fioke, oni predstavljaju gradivni element njenog oblika i konstrukcije. Ona je sacinjena od isprepletanih lukova koji se nekad oslanjaju jedan na drugi a nekada seku. Ovaj objekat je istovremeno arhitektonska i zvucna instalacija koja omogucava ljudima ne samo da slušaju zvuke jedne muzicke sturkture vec i da ucestvuju u kompoziciji zvuka. Generativni i interaktivni sistem zvukova komponovao je i programirao kompozitor i multimedijalni umetnik Edvin van der Hajde.

ARTFAMA: Kada sam otišla da posetim kucu, iznenadila me je jacina zvuka! Našla sam jednu oblacastu metalnu strukturu – skulpturu. Šta je to što je cini arhitektonskim delom?

EDVIN: Za razliku od skulpture, ovo je nešto u šta morate uci. Razilka ide mnogo dalje od toga. Ovo nije funkcionalna arhitektura, ali jeste arhitektura, ja mislim, zato što oblikuje prostor u smislu u kome to arhitektura radi, uzimajuci u obzir i okruženje. U isto vreme, to je nešto drugo, jer ovde nema zidova ni plafona, takav koncept ne postoji. Postoji unutrašnjost i spoljašnjost, ali unutra je istovremeno i napolju. Lars Spajbruk je arhitekta, on nije neko ko pravi skulpture.

Kako se vi osecate u ovom odnosu, radeci sa arhitektama, a radeci na sopstvenom delu?

Saradnja je jednostvne prirode. Imali smo veoma jako interesovanje za radove onog drugog i za probleme na koje smo nailazili. U tom smislu, osecamo se vrlo blisko. Osim što je to što pravimo potpuno razlicito. Sa jedne strane tu su slicni problemi u tome kako dizajniraš nešto, kako oblikuješ nešto, kako ga ciniš vidljivimi opipljivim, razmišljanja o ulozi publike, o aktivnom iskustvu publike. Tu su zajednicke fascinacije, tu su pralele u metodu rada. Sa druge strane, Lars teško ima ikakvog iskustva u radu sa vremenom. To je mesto gde se potpuno razlikujemo. U arhitekturi se takode mora razmišljati o vremenu i o tome kako ljudi koriste to vreme u zgradi, ali na potpuno drugaciji nacin.

Arhitektura opisuje pokret u prošlosti. Posetilac pravi novi pokret. Muzika opisuje taj pokret.

Ne bih se složio sa tim. Da, arhitektura dolazi od pokreta i njihove analize, ona oslikava odredene pokrete koje biste napravili u kuci. Ipak, vi ne možete iskusiti te pokrete na kojima je kuca izgradena. Zvuk je dodatni razlog za kretanje, on se meša sa arhitekturom. Struktura objekta je tako složena da je teško pogoditi kakav ce se pogled otvoriti kad se pomerite sa mesta A na mesto B. Zvuk se preplice sa tim. Iz odredenih razloga, zvuk nekad pokušava da vas natera da se pomerite prema nekom drugom mestu.

Vi pratite kretanja posetilaca u dužem vremenskom periodu. Kako možete da napravite razliku izmedu kretanja prema privlacnom zvuku i kretanja od neprijatnog zvuka?

Postoji citav poredak posebnih raspodela mernih tacaka u prostoru koji govori da ovde ima više aktivnosti nego tamo. To je ono što ja zovem „distribucijom aktivnosti“. Sistem pokušava da prepozna razlicita stanja distribucije aktivnosti i da iz toga uci. Vaš pokret je ono što pravi malu razliku a sistem je onaj koji pokušava da napravi veliku promenu. To je takode razlog zbog koga se ne slažem sa prethodnom definicijom.

Kako se ideja prostora odnosi prema konceptima arhitekture i muzike u ovom slucaju?

Nacin na koji arhitektura definiše prostor nije vezan iskljucivo za oblik prostorije vec i za akustiku ali i odredenu atmosferu koju taj prostor ima i koja se može odnositi na muziku, materijal, vazduh – pretpostavljam i tako dalje. Prostor u muzici u potpunosti zavisi od tehnike komponovanja, zvucima koji su korišceni, pitanju na cemu je kompozicija izgradena, na koji nacin prostor postoji ili ne. Prostor u muzici je i dalje razlicita stvar, ona može da kreira prostor ali ona takode zahteva prostor. Ja mogu da kažem da su muzika i arhitektura zaista blisko povezane discipline ali sa druge strane dosta razlicite. Za mene, važno je govoriti o “zvucecoj arhitekturi” (sounding architecture). Zašto je to zanimljivo? Zato što bi zvuceca arhitektura, po mom mišljenju, trebalo da znaci da je stvorena veza izmedu muzickog prostora i arhitektonskog prostora.

Šta je muzicki prostor za vas?

To je deo kompozicije. U kompoziciji možete da koristite prostor a da se to ne odnosi nužno na lokaciju. Prostor je element kompozicije i element arhitekture. To je ono što bih ja nazvao zvucecom arhitekturom – kada ove stvari pocnu da se preplicu. Akusticko ponašanje Son-O-House je zanemarljivo i ja definitvno ne želim da izazovem iskustvo slušanja muzike koja dolazi iz zvucnika. Zato radim u polju izmedu zvucnika i kreiram novi oblik interferentnog prostora koji koristim kao kompozitor. Ovo koristim takode i za sistem interakcije. To je generativni sistem, tako da ne pricamo uopšte o snimljenim zvucima. Sve je generisano u realnom vremenu.

Šta je ulazni signal koji okida sistem da krene?

To je sinusni talas, cisti ton, na kome sam koristio odredene modulacije. Prateci jedan odredeni model ja u osnovi razmišljam o ovih 20 zvucnika kao o 5 grupa od po 4 zvucnika i kreiram signal za ove grupe. To je relativno jednostavan model ali kombinabilan u meri da omoguci kontrast izmedju zvukova.

Možete li da opišete ritam ove kompozicije?

Ja to ne vidim kao ritam. Ona ima odredenu brzinu, to je brzina promene koja se može opaziti. Vi pokrecete promenu i odredene stvari pocinju da se dešavaju – ta stvar ima brzinu. Vaš pokret takode ima brzinu. To zavisi donekle od zvuka, ali on može imati prilicno veliku brzinu. Imamo na primer pokret kada pravite vrlo male pokrete rukom i to generiše znacajne promene, zbog prirode sistema zvuka koji sam izgradio.
Na višem nivou, važno mi je da li je moguce i kako bih ja napravio nešto što može biti u biti znatno razlicito kada ga drugi put posetite. Ono cemu se ja nadam je da sistem koji sam napravio vodi ka mogucim novim iskustvima. Kada ga posetite drugi put, vi ste vec ostavili tragove iz kojih je proizašlo ono što sistem radi sada, vi ste zapravo deo toga. Tada se može zaista reci da se zgrada razvija i menja.

Ovaj novi prostor koji definišete je muzicki prostor unutar arhitektonskog prostora. Nazivate ga sobom i cinite ga sobom, zahvaljujuci rasporedu zvucnika.

Ne, ovih pet soba dolaze od arhitektonskog oblika, iako ih verovatno niko ne bi nazvao sobama. Ali mislim da se one mogu posmatrati kao takve. Možete da cujete više grupa zvucnika u isto vreme.

Da li onda možemo reci da je funkcija ove kuce da proizvodi zvuk. Ranije ste rekli da ova kuca ne ispunjava odredenu funkciju – ja mislim da ispunjava i da je ova funkcija zvucanja ono što odreduje organizaciju prostora.

Da. Zbog toga se zove Son-O-House.

selenasavic.at.artfama@gmail.com

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public artwork for Industrieschap Ekkersrijt NOX&Edwin van der Heide (NOX architects: Lars Spuybroek with associates Chris Seung-woo Yoo, Josef Glas, Ludovica Tramontin, Kris Mun, Geri Stavreva and Nicola Lammers) Son en Breugel, The Netherlands, 2000-2004

Architecture can be considered a discipline which includes shaping of space and fulfillment of functional tasks for the future use of that space. The sound is unconditionally surrounding us; we perceive it with the sense of hearing, which can not be “turned off”. The sound creates the base for an atmosphere in a space - it is the accompanying component of every activity.

The Son-O-House is an interactive audible piece. It is situated in a large industrial park, along the highway between Son en Breugel and Eindhoven, in a special quarter reserved for companies from the IT and new-media industry. It was commissioned by the city of Son en Breugel and the Ekkersrijt industrial board with the aim to strengthen the identity of the area with the artwork, not only as a technological shriek but also as a social public space.

This is “a house where sounds live”, a structure that refers to living and the bodily movements that accompany habits and habitation. A fabric of larger scale bodily movements in a corridor or room, together with smaller scale movements around a sink or a drawer is the constitutional element of its shape and construction. It is built out of interlacing vaults which sometimes lean on each other or sometimes cut into each other. The structure is both an architectural and a sound installation that allows people not only to hear sound in a musical structure, but also to participate in the composition of the sound. The generative and reactive system of sounds is composed and programmed by the composer and media artist Edwin van der Heide.

ARTFAMA: When I went to visit the house, I was surprised with the intensity of the sound! I found a cloudy-shaped metal structure, a piece of art in a park, a sculpture? What makes it architecture?

EDWIN: Apart from a sculpture, this is something you have to go in. It goes much further than that. It is not functional architecture. But it is architecture, I think, because it does shape the space in the sense that architecture does, it does consider the environment.
It is at the same time something else, for there are no walls or ceiling, such a concept does not exist. There is inside and outside, but inside is also the outside. Lars Spuybroek is an architect, he is not someone who makes sculptures.

How do you feel in this relation, working with architects, and working on your own part of the piece?

The collaboration is a simple one. We had very high interest for each others work, and all the problems that are involved. In that sense we feel very close to each other. Except that what we make is completely different. But, similar problems in how you design something, how you shape something, how you make something tactile or perceivable, role of audience, thinking about the active experience for the audience. There is a share of fascination, there are parallels in working method. On the other side, Lars has hardly any experience in working with time. That is where we are completely different. In architecture, you have to think about the time and how people deal with the time in a building. It does incorporate time, but in a very different way.

Architecture describes a past movement. A visitor makes a new movement. Music describes the movement of the visitor.

I wouldn’t agree with it. Yes, architecture comes from movements, it depicts certain movements that you would make in the house and the analysis from it. Although, you can not really experience the movement that the house is built upon. The sound is an additional reason to move, it does interfere with architecture. Structure of the building is that complex that it is very hard to expect what your new view will be if you move from A to B. And the sound is interfering with that. For certain reasons, sometimes it tries to make you move away towards another place.

You want to track the movement of the visitors in a long term period. How can you make a difference between a movement towards a more attractive sound and away from the unpleasant sound?

There is a whole sequence of particular distribution. It tells that there is more activity here than there. This is what I call the “activity distribution”. The system is trying to detect states of different activity distributions and learn from it. It is your movement that makes a small change and it is the system that is trying to make the big change. That is also why I do not agree with the previous definition.

How is the idea of space related to concepts of architecture and music, in this case?

The way architecture defines space is not only about the shape of the room, it is also the acoustics but also about a certain atmosphere that the space has and that can be related to music, materials, probably the air, and so on. The space in music completely depends on the composition technique, sounds that are being used, what the composition is based on, how space exists in music or not. Space in music is still a different thing although it can create space it also needs space. I can say that music and architecture are really closely related disciplines, but on the other hand they are also quite different. For me, it is important is to speak about “sounding architecture”. Why is it interesting? Because sounding architecture, in my opinion, would mean that you create a relationship between musical space and architectural space.

What is a musical space for you?

It is a part of the composition. In a composition you can use space and it doesn’t necessarily mean location. Space is an element of a composition and space is an element of architecture. This is what I would call “sounding architecture” – when these things start to interact.
The acoustical behaviour of the Son-o-house is very small and I definitely don t want to have the experience of music coming from loudspeakers. So I work with field in between the speakers and create a new kind of interference space that I can use as a composer. I use this as well for the interactive system. It is a generative system so we are not talking about recorded sounds. Everything is generated in real time.

What is the input that triggers all this system to start?

It s sine waves, but pure tones, but I used certain modulations. I use a certain model of how I build the system – there are 20 speakers, I think of them as 5 groups of 4 speakers and from this I create signals for the groups. It is a relatively simple model but complex enough to create contrast between sounds.

Can you describe the rhythm of this composition?

I do not see it as the rhythm. It has a certain speed, a speed of the change that you can perceive. You push a change and certain things start happening, and that has a speed. Your own movement also has a speed. Depends a bit on the sound but it can have quite a big speed. There is a moment when you move around, just only with your hand a little bit and there is quite a lot of change, because of the nature of the soundest that I am creating.
In the bigger scale, it is important for me if it would be possible and how would I make something that can be essentially different the second time you visit it. What I hope it does is that the system that I created leads to possible new experiences. When you do visit it for the second time, you already left traces that resulted in what the system does now, you are actually part of that. Then you can really say that the building it is evolving and changing.

The new space you design is a musical space inside an architectural space. You call it a room and you make it a room, with the disposition of speakers.

No, the five rooms come from the architectural shape, although probably nobody would call them rooms. But, you can think about it in that sense. You are meant to hear the multiple groups at the same time.

Could we then say that the function of the house is to make sound? For you sad before that this house does not fulfil any function – I think it does and this function of sound is also organizing the space.

Yes. That is why it is called Son-O-House.

selenasavic.at.artfama@gmail.com