Modelling the Invisible

Abstract

The paper describes shortly the system architecture of an immersive interactive virtual acoustics and visualisation system. Some realised models for education, research and building practice are presented. For educational purposes some existing concert halls like the Musikvereinssaal in Vienna or the Mozartsaal in the Liederhalle in Stuttgart are modelled by students to learn and percept directly material and geometrical impact on acoustics. For research purpose new concepts for acoustic spaces are explored in the real time environment. Due to new requirements deduced from new musical presentation forms represented e.g. by “spatial music” historical precedents are no longer helpful as prototypes. Lacking of archetypes the virtual acoustic system offers a method to evaluate novel spatial acoustic concepts by individual perception of acoustic and architectural aspects. Experiences and results made with the modelling of the “Neue Stadthalle Reutlingen” design by the architect Max Dudler are presented as an example for the systems practical use. Due to sensitive public perception of cultural buildings like the mentioned case study the individual perceptible demonstration of the future hall increases the acceptance of the planning. The virtual acoustic-visual system offers even laymen to get an idea of how the future hall will sound. Concluding the presented experiments underlines the importance of modelling not only visual aspects of architecture but also invisible features like room acoustics as an integrated perceptible and interactive representation of a multi aspect architectural design.