The departure point of this project is the investigation of the merging fields of Additive Manufacturing and Acoustics; a new type of acoustic device is proposed that regulates its performance by its geometrical characteristics using the principle of passive destructive interference. The ultimate aim is to establish a new product where geometry, production technique and acoustic performance are inherently related and constitute integral aspects of the design process. By taking advantage of the emerging digital technologies, the proposed acoustic treatment is highly customizable and is always shaped by the soundscape of its context.
This study presents a digital design and fabrication process developed to create a non-standardised sound absorber and one case study which applies this process on the acoustic improvement of a specific room.
The research starts with a set of physical tests that contribute in measuring and understanding the acoustic consequences of different geometrical configurations and material characteristics. From the analysis of the measurements’ results derive the design rules of the sound absorber, which are then incorporated into the design process through para¬metric modelling and allow the design with performance driven criteria. The exploration of the design possibilities of the passive destructive interference absorber continue further with the case study of the Building Technology department of the Faculty of Architecture of TU Delft. The proposed design is targeting in improving the room acoustics of the specific space by a customised solution. The proposed sound absorber is conceived as an organic-looking structure that is floating in space and “grows” where sound absorption is needed. As a result, the generated geometry regulates acoustic performance according to the desired criteria and the acoustic demands of the examined space.

This project was selected for the architectural award "Archiprix 2012" in the Netherlands.

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