Structure-Borne Sound and Aurally Active Spaces

This paper provides a report of a research effort to transform architectural and scenographic surfaces into sound sources and use them in artistic creation. Structure-borne sound drivers are employed to induce sound into the solid surfaces, making them vibrate and emit sound. The sound waves can be perceived both via the aural (airborne diffusion) as well as the tactile (structure-borne diffusion) senses. The paper describes the main challenges encountered in the use of structure-borne sound technology, as well as the current results in overcoming them. Two completed artistic projects are presented in order to illustrate the creative possibilities enabled by the research.