Sonic fields

Why do architects explore, map and draw mainly the visual aspects of place? How could one explore, map and represent other types of sensations of places? Can sound be mapped and represented? This paper presents a series of sound-mappings of Edinburgh, carried out by the authors; the methodologies used, the restrictions and limitations encountered and the information and experience about the place gained through this process. This paper also presents how the experimental sound mappings of Edinburgh led to a methodology used for the sound mapping of other places, including the sound mapping of Athens, presented in the 11th Venice BIennale of Architecture. Each city sounds differently and each type of sounds gives us a different field or type of information and knowledge of the city. Sound-mapping is an open process with unpredictable outcomes. The experience and information gained about a place gained through a sound-mapping process cannot be easily anticipated or predicted.