The Textile Form of Sound

Sound is a part of architecture, and sound is complex. Upon this, sound is invisible. How is it then possible to design visual objects that interact with the sound?
This paper addresses the problem of how to get access to the complexity of sound and how to make textile material revealing the form of sound. This issue is a part of a Ph.D. study at The Danish Design School in Copenhagen.

Sound diffusion in architecture is a complex phenomenon. From the sound source the sound spreads in all directions as a sphere of wave fronts. When the sound is reflected from room boundaries or furniture, complex three-dimensional geometries of interfering spheres are created.

Textiles are generally a very good sound dampening material. To dampen the sound most effective it should be placed where the sound energy is highest. To find these invisible spots of energy and to reveal the geometry of them, two experiments were carried out.

One experiment was done in a laboratory with a sound measure instrument and textiles arranged in different positions and shapes. Here the high energy spots were located. The other experiment is ongoing and is an investigation of how textiles can take the shape of the sound goemetry by analysing the sound pattern at a specific spot. This analysis is done theoretically with algorithmic systems and practical with waves in water.

The paper describes the experiments and the findings, and explains how an analysis of sound can be catched in a textile form.