Chichen Itza _Secret \Mystery Revealed

What is architecture ?
in the past
The Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza is recognized around the world as an icon of Mexico. As such, even small details around it merit scholarly interest. One small detail ignored by archaeologists until now is the odd chirped echo that resounds from the pyramid's staircases in response to hand claps of people standing near its base.

A physical explanation for the chirped echo is proposed: The staircase constitutes an acoustical diffraction grating. Two forms of analytical data are offered in support of this explanation. First, a mathematical simulation of the chirp fundamental frequency vs time is calculated. Then a sonogram of the recorded echo is shown to be in reasonable agreement with these calculations .

Moving to archaeological issues, it is considered whether the echo was intended by its Mayan builders; is merely an artifact of reconstruction; or simply an ancient acoustical design defect. We speculate that the echo is intentional. That the steps were designed and constructed to echo the voice of the Mayan sacred bird, the resplendent quetzal (pharomachrus mocinno), viewed by ancient Maya as the "messenger of the gods.

The echo is not believed to be an artifact of reconstruction. Other Mayan pyramids also chirp, as do other Mayan staircases, though their acoustic parameters are different.

The echo is not believed to be an original design defect. Sound is very important to forest peoples whose livelihood or very lives may depend on accurate listening. In the cloud forest where their Mayan cultures were formed, one may hear over a much greater distance than one can see.

The Maya would have noticed such a profound acoustical anomaly (chirped echo) at their sacred site just as modern people react to alleged defects around their "holy" sites. (Think about the fuss over alleged acoustical defects at Lincoln Center in 1962. Eventually, the hall was gutted and rebuilt at great expense.)

case studies

Positive Impacts Of Sound?

• It Changes Your Ability to Perceive Time

• Aurally designed spaces  favours Interaction

• sound can heal people _Sound healing

• sound plays a major role in controlling the human tendencies 

1. aggression(crime)

2. happiness

3. grief

4. helping behaviour

which in turn controls users action, activities, path, movement pattern,directionality   .  .

  .

ARe you listening ?

Do you think architecture can be heard ?

Yes!!!

In our techno-visual culture, the ascendancy of vision as the primary means for sensing the physical world has undermined the importance of hearing. Yet the aural experience of an environment is critically important to the social and emotional well-being of the inhabitants. However, we tend to only recognize the aural architecture of a space when its hostile and corrosive acoustics transform background sounds into a deafening roar. We then become functionally deaf to local sounds, as if actually deaf.

  A s a profession, prominent architects are rewarded with prizes based on their visual portfolio, and they in turn train the next generation of architects to focus on the visual experience of a space. Have you ever experienced space solely through sound? 

"We never see the same thing, when we also hear it.

We never hear the same thing, when we also see it".

In architecture attention is usually focused towards the visual awareness of space. Without listening, perception remains limited in individual experience; we are less connected to "here and now"; to our world; to a specific space.