Architecture’s Earwitness: awakening urban memories through the London Underground
Summary
With the help of soundscape research and memory research, using sound walking and machine learning as research techniques, this research conducts an exploratory investigation into the formation of memory in space and analyses how sounds and architectural space interact. This research will start with my patterned daily travel records, focusing on recording and analysing auditory experiences in London underground space and stimulating the process of building a memory platform. This research emphasizes the importance of sensory experience in shaping urban environmental memories, aiming to prioritise people’s emotions in spatial design. Through scenario experiments and soundscape analysis, it stimulates in-depth communication between people and the city environment and explores more emotional spatial environments.
Additional info
The sound phenomenon of the London Underground has left a lasting impression, capturing the essence of urban life and transportation. From the clanking of obstacles to rhythmic footsteps, from broadcasting to the sound of prompting car doors to close, each sound is a message transmission. The hurried footsteps remind me of the urgency of time, the howling wind tells me the arrival of the train, the sound of the train doors tells me that the subway is about to depart, the announcement of the carriage tells me the purpose of the next station, and so on Listening has become my main way of walking underground, and each sound adds depth and personality to my underground journey, creating a truly authentic and iconic experience.
Introduction
This study focuses on the London Underground as the main research object, mainly recording my experience of taking the subway from Warren Street Station to Green Park at 9 am every Tuesday from September 2022 because of my class schedule at the Royal College of Art. During these repeated trips, I try to find out how urban space affects individual memory formation and how sound stimulates my brain from several experiences. The project mainly involves two backgrounds: soundscape and city memory. I chose to use sound walking and machine learning as my method.
In the field of urban research, the impact of urban voice on the collective memory of urban residents has always been a topic of concern. In this study, I embark on a personal exploration to explore the interaction between my own self and the influence of urban soundscape on the formation of shared memory. As a resident of this vibrant city, I have personally experienced the complex relationship between the sounds that permeate the urban environment and the memories they evoke. By immersing myself in the auditory tapestry of the city, my goal is to unlock the link between my own self-identity and collective memory shaped by the sound landscape. Through this subjective perspective, I hope to reveal the subtle ways in which urban voices shape our personal narratives and contribute to the structure of urban memory.
This study also aims to prioritize human perception in spatial design. By visualizing sound, architects can visually understand the acoustic characteristics of space, perceive the performance of sound within the building, and identify potential acoustic challenges or opportunities. At the same time, scene experiments and soundscape analysis can stimulate deep communication between people and the urban environment and contribute to creating more emotional spatial environments.
Automatic Fare Gate
