Category Science

Why is it said that echo is one of the aspects to be taken care of?

                The concept of echo must be familiar to most of us. While standing in an empty space, if you let out a loud shout, you can hear a faint sound coming back after a few seconds. This reflected wave of sound that resembles the original is called the echo. It can be experienced when you are standing on top of mountains, in remote places, in big and empty rooms, in caves etc.

                The term echo is derived from the Greek word meaning sound. There are many factors influencing the creation of echoes. Typically, the sound waves can bounce off only if the objects they hit are smooth and hard. It is like a rubber ball bouncing off the ground. If the waves meet a soft surface, for example a cushion, they will be absorbed, and hence, no echo will be created.

                         There are multiple uses for echoes. They can be used to measure distance, velocity, and the shape of objects. It is to be noted that an improper arrangement of echoes will result in unclear sounds.

Why is it said that Ali Qapu is a place to hear the magic of sound?

            Ali Qapu is a famous palace of the Persian Empire’s Safavid Era. It was built in the early 17th century and is now situated in Iran. The palace is a 48 metre tall, six-storey building constructed during the reign of Shah Abbas I.

            What makes it unique is the acoustic wonder of the Music Hall on the sixth floor. It was where royal receptions and parties were hosted by the kings.

            Let’s see what makes the sounds here special. Along the four sides of the upper half of the Music Hall walls and within the mini muqarnas – a form of ornamented vaulting ceilings, there is a double-walled design. It features a unique pattern of plaster niches that are cut out in the shapes of vases, pots, and other vessels. They absorb echoes and create a special sound system. That is, if one stands in the Music Hall and claps, he will hear no echo, in spite of the huge size and volume of the room.

            One should not forget that it was constructed long before the advent of electric power transmission.

What makes Tvisongur an acoustic wonder?

            Tvisongur is a site-specific sound sculpture located on a mountainside above the town of Seydisfjordur in Iceland.

             Created by German artist Lukas Kuhne, it looks like five different-sized mushrooms that are interconnected with door openings. But in fact, the work is made of concrete, and consists of five interconnected domes. It was built to pay homage to the Icelandic music tradition. Specifically, each dome is designed to amplify resonance distinct from each other and, as a result, the overall space echoes the Icelandic musical tradition of five-tone harmony.

            According to Lukas Kuhne, the work is dedicated to space and frequency. Anybody who wishes to enjoy the natural five-tone harmony is welcome, as the structure is always open to the public.

Why are the forest megaphones of Estonia considered as an acoustical wonder?

            Forests are often cherished for the peaceful, natural sounds they offer. Imagine how beautiful it would be if these sounds are heard louder! That is exactly what a few students did in a deep forest of Estonia. The giant timber megaphones that they built amplify the natural sounds of the Estonian Voru forest.

            Created by the students of interior architecture at the Estonian Academy of Arts, the three wooden structures or ‘ruup’, as they are called in the local language, are installed in the Pahni Nature Centre near the Latvian border.

            The main purpose of these installations is to act as amplifiers of the natural sound of the forest, like the chirping of birds, resulting of leaves etc. but the megaphones are so huge that they also serve as lounging spots for travellers inside the forest. Each structure, conical in shape, has a diameter of three metres.

 

Why are the sound mirrors in Denge unique?

            Sound mirrors or acoustic mirrors are huge concrete structures that were designed as an early warning system for Britain. The purpose behind this magnificent creation was to detect enemy aircraft. Three designs of 6 metres, 9 metres, and 60 metres were made and all of them can be seen in Great stone, located in the north east side of the Dungeness Nature Reserve. They were developed by Dr. William Sansome Tucker.

            Also called the ‘listening ears’, the mirrors were helpful during wars. Built during the late 1920s, the sound mirrors were part of the British national defence strategy. They did work well, and detected slow moving enemy aircraft before they came into sight. In fact, they were able to give a fifteen-minute warning of an approaching aircraft.

            However, sound mirrors were outdated with faster flights coming into use. Later, radars were developed. Today, they remain as preserved monuments with many visitors throughout the year.

What makes the Ekko, Denmark wonder?

            The Ekko is a man-made work that exploits the possibilities of sound to produce a magnificent experience. At first glance, it is a circle of concrete pathway with wooden frames of incrementally different dimensions surrounding it.

            We could call it a snaking tunnel made of wood. As you walk on the pathway that is inside the work, you experience a unique sound. This is caused by the footsteps and voices in the corridor which are collected by the microphones hidden within the wooden beams. These sounds are remixed by a computer and played back as distorted echoes through tiny speakers.

            The brilliant work is installed in hjallerup, Denmark. Created by Thilo Frank, Ekko offers a special walking tour and sound experience. There were around 200 wooden frames used for the work. Each of them is angled slightly, so the construction turns in on itself along a 60-metre corridor.