This project introduces a web-based design tool that promotes a holistic approach to sound and acoustics in architecture. Developed as part of ongoing doctoral research (2025–2029), the tool “Sound is blue” enables early acoustic design integration by making it possible to listen to the potential sounds that a designed space will ultimately produce.
For example, when conceptualizing an office space, the platform allows the user to conduct typical acoustic simulations—such as ray-tracing and image-source methods—while also experiencing the acoustic space activated by contextualized sounds like keyboard typing, localized conversations, or air-conditioning noise. Hearing these contextualized sounds during the conceptual phase is hypothesized to influence architectural decisions. This Input Project uses the early design phase of the HIL building as a testing ground to assess this hypothesis.
To achieve its principal goals, the research follows the HIL design team to produce accurate acoustic simulations and contextualized soundscapes for specific design iterations. The impact on the design process is then systematically observed and evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative methods, including semi-structured interviews, think-aloud protocols, and the Creativity Support Index. Furthermore, the project actively engages with ETH internal research and teaching formats, specifically participating in the D-ARCH Seminar weeks in Autumn 2026 and Autumn 2027, alongside monthly meetings with the HIL design team.