Dictionary of Acoustics (research) (NL)

By: Studio Makkink & Bey
Context: PROOFFLab tandem #1: Acoustics
Year: 2012

The Dictionary of Acoustics lists words in the semantic field of the word sound. It’s a growing lexicon in which we add anything relating to sound or the sense of hearing, especially words that link to objects or space. It serves as reference book and catalog of links filed in alphabetical order with definitions and sometimes images.

Many designs by Studio Makkink & Bey turn out as a collage of ideas and forms that are carefully pieced together to deliver a coherent result. After an inventory of resources and needs in terms of people, materials, tools, and processes, ties are made between these real world conditions and our designer’s insights and imagination. One of the resources we consult for input to frame new concepts, is this database. The mode of construction in applied arts is very much like constructing language and building coherent sentences. To transfer content, in case of design: meaningful forms, you need a broad vocabulary of the determinants of form. These are the constituent words of a sentence, in this metaphor, of a design. Syntax provides coherent organization to give meaning to a design. It orders information about hierarchy, value, characteristics, time, place, origins, motive and other additives that influence design constituents.
In a basic ‘subject – verb – object’ diagram, ‘acoustics – to muffle – armchair’ represents the #001 PROOFF Earchair that insulates sound with its big, soft ears.

Because of the alphabetical accumulation of words, there’s less bias toward the value or meaning of a word, which allows insignificant terms equal access to lexicon and the design process. Aside from a reference body of words, the Dictionary of Acoustics also becomes a driver of experimental ideas.