Thesis submitted to the faculty of theVirginia Polytechnic Institute and StateUniversity in partial fulfillment of therequirements for the degree of:

Master of Architecture

Paul F EmmonsCommittee Chair

Caren YglesiasCommittee Member

Jaan HoltCommittee Member

June 4th, 2004Alexandria, VA

Keywords:Circle of Fifths, Music Conservatory,Charleston, Chopin

The Well Tempered Building; A Music Conservatory

Sarah Shipp

To Bach, the Circle of Fifths was thelanguage of the universe. Similar tothe constellations used to understandthe sky, the Circle of Fifths is a visual-ization device to understand thefundamental concepts of key signa-tures, which are the foundation formusic. The Circle of Fifths is a guidefor writing music because its structurehelps compose and harmonize melo-dies, build chords, and move to differ-ent keys within a composition.

The Octave is the most significant keysignature because it completes thecircle of fifths. The Octave, if in perfecttune will create an overtone, which is atune unable to be created on its own.The movement through the Circle ofFifths led to a contemplation describedby Pythagoras as “Music of theSpheres” or meeting between heavenand earth, between spiritual andmaterial realms.

The Well Tempered Building uses theCircle of Fifths as the underlyinggeometry for the foundation of theconservatory. Proportions from theCircle of Fifths, including the Octave,shaped the conservatory making themusicians, audience, sound, light,water and air tuned to each other.

The Well Tempered Clavier Sarah Shipp

abstract

Concept sketch of the Music Conservatory’s Foundation -based on the Circle of Fifths

thank you for love and support

Mom, Dad, Rachel

thank you for never endinginspiration and dedication

Paul EmmonsCaren YglesiasMarco FrascariJaan Holt

acknowledgements

iii

Circle of Fifths sketch

contents

acknowledgements iiicontents iv

site 1program 3

thesis 4sketches 5

plans 7drawing construction 9drawing construction 11building construction 13

detail sections 15theatre section 18

plaza section 20bibliography 21

iv

Concept sketch of the Music Conservatory’s Foundation -based on the Circle of Fifths.

abstract

siteCharleston, South Carolina is acomposition, kept in tune by the rhythmof the city grid, with layers of notes inthe form of gardens, porches andgraveyards. The cobblestone streetsand brick sidewalks slow time andpeople to the pace of the city. The lighttwinkling through the live oak treescompose a choreography of shadowswhile the wind blowing through themarshes into Charleston createovertones through the streets.

The Music Conservatory is locatedslightly off the beaten path spanningbetween Queen and Chalmers Street,perpendicular to the busier, Church andMeeting Streets. Queen Street isdotted with art galleries, gardens,restaurants and houses. The MusicConservatory is also in the same blockas the Historic Dock Street Theatre, thefirst building designed for theatrical usein America.

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QUEEN STREET

CHALMERS STREET

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STREET

MEETIN

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BROAD STREET

S. MARKET STREET

Marsh in CharlestonHouse with Side EntryCircular Congregational Church -Meeting Street

Cobblestone Street

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QUEEN STREET

CHALMERS STREET

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CH

STREET

MEETIN

G STR

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Brick walls surrounding site Graveyard in CharlestonHouse on Chalmers StreetPath off of Queen Street

The theatre and plaza of the MusicConservatory is oriented in the north-southdirection with the theatre backdrop facingnorth allowing consistent light on stage. Thepractice rooms oriented in the east-westdirection protect the music rooms from theintense Charleston sun.

Traditionally in Charleston, houses are raisedon a platform to avoid water and occasionalflooding. The main plaza descends into theground and is able to accept water as well asbeing an inviting place for the public. Thenature of the conservatory immersed in theground keeps the air cool despite the humidCharleston temperature.

The main plaza mimics a Charleston shotgunhouse in that it is the length of the site, longand slender, which allows prevailing breezesto travel unobstructed through the site.Charleston shotgun houses are one roomdeep for maximum airflow through thehouse. The Music Conservatory also drawsair from a park across the street, into theConservatory’s foundation to cool in thecaverns, which is then released through thecavities in the theatre’s brick walls and slotsbetween the plaza steps.

programWalking down the cobblestone street, lined withhundred-year-old live oak trees and shotgunhouses, music can be heard before theconservatory comes into view. The mainentrance to the conservatory is an outdoor plaza,which is a series of steps descending gracefullyinto the earth. As one enters the plaza, thesound from the waterfall framing the stage blursthe city noises while the music above in thepractice rooms becomes in focus. The plazaseparates the practice rooms and the curvingbrick theatre wall. Students enter on a side doorand ascend through circular stairs to practicerooms suspended over the plaza.

Two curving brick walls enclose the theatre andjuxtapose the consistent rhythm of the practicerooms, suggesting freedom supported bystructure. The curving brick walls with specificopenings for air and light, cast dramaticshadows onto the stage and audience. Thewater steps frame the backdrop of the stage andbecome an integral part of the performance.The roughness of the curved brick walls thatsurround the theatre disperse unwantedreflections. The music conservatory iscomposed of expressed material and form, aswell as the presence of air, light, sound andwater.

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Sketch of Section through Practice Rooms

Study ModelPlan Sketch

thesisTempo (Latin)

time

weather

rhythm

The music conservatory is a well-tempered building designed to be aliving and breathing part of Charleston.The idea for the well tempered buildingis from Bach’s piano exercises “TheWell Tempered Clavier”.

The clavier existed before the pianoand was extremely sensitive totemperature changes and humidity.Bach composed “The Well TemperedClavier” piano exercises based on themovement through the Circle of Fifths.These exercises were intended tomake certain the clavier was in tune.

What if the tempo of Charleston tunedthe conservatory with the movement ofpeople, air, water and sound?

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Sketch of Suspended Practice Rooms Study Model

sketches

Theatre Hall LobbyFoundation Caverns

Section Sketch

Proportions of music from the Circle ofFifths, including the octave, shaped theconservatory making the audience andmusicians movement musical and tunedto each other.

The foundation of the conservatory isbased from the movement through keysignatures of the circle of fifths. Thecircle of fifths is a visualization device tounderstand the fundamental concepts ofkey signatures, the foundation of music.The foundation caverns become avisualization device for musicians tounderstand key signatures, and alsosupport the structure of the conservatoryby intersecting octaves.

The Octave is the most significant keysignature because it completes the circleof fifths. The Octave, if in perfect tone willcreate an overtone, which is a toneunable to be created on its own. Themovement through the Circle ofFifths led to a contemplation described byPythagoras as “Music of the Spheres” ormeeting between heaven and earth,between spiritual and material realms.

The conservatory acts as the realm ofarchitecture between the earth and spirit.

Concept Plan Sketches

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1. The conservatory’s foundation is basedfrom the movement through the Circle ofFifths, the foundation of music.

2. The performer enters through a backstaircase and prepares for a performancein the caverns.

3. The audience can have dinner beforea performance in the restaurant belowthe outdoor plaza.

4. At the end of the plaza steps is aconnected outdoor lobby area. Openingthe large lobby doors connects the indoorand outdoor lobbys.

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10’ 50’

plansmovement of peopleThe movement through the Circle ofFifths is used to regulate the placementof the plan based on the key signaturefrom Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu forthe piano. In this piano piece, the lefthand plays a constant tempo while theright hand plays a musical compositionsuggesting improvisation.

Similar to Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu, the theatre is enclosed withtwo curving brick walls that juxtaposethe consistent rhythm of the practicerooms, suggesting freedom supportedby structure.

2. Entering into the theatre, the stage isframed by water steps. The water stepscan be choreographed to the needs ofthe performance, simple/quietmovement or dance with the music ofthe performer.

Suspended Music Rooms

Entrance: Street Level

Roof Terrace1. Similar to a Charleston Shot Gun housetype, the entrance for the student is on theside of the building. Upon entering there are10 circular staircases the practice roomsabove.

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4. The audience takes a seat. Abovethem are acoustical panels hangingfrom the ceiling.

5. The public can use theconservatory plaza, roof terraceand restaurant year round. To goup to the roof terrace, a staircasehugs the side of the curved brickwall, floating above the watersteps.

6. In the evening the publicspaces, such as the roof terraceand plaza, are places to watchstars or listen to music comingfrom the practice rooms or theatre.

3. For a performance the audiencedescends down the plaza steps.Above them are cantileveredpractice rooms. To the left is oneof the curving brick walls thatenclose the theatre.

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10’ 50’

Layers of Materials:

Vellum Paper

gesso

watercolor

oil pastel

graphite

acrylic paint

The layers of drawing materials play withmovement and transformation on the paper aswell as represent the movement of water, air,light and materials used to build theconservatory.

drawing constructionmovement of air and light

Brick Wall in Charleston, South Carolina

Study Model: Plaza View with Shadows of Brick

Concept Section Sketches 9

2. The cooled air is released through the cavities in the brick walls andslots between the plaza steps. The nature of the conservatoryimmersed in the ground keeps the air cool despite the humidCharleston temperature.

1. Prevailing Charleston breezesmove fresh air through the building.In addition, air from a park across thestreet is drawn into the foundationand cools in the caverns.

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5’ 25’10’

Layers of Materials :

Vellum Paper

gesso

watercolor

oil pastel

graphite

acrylic paint

With the conservatory immersed in the ground,water is accepted as part of the movement ofthe conservatory. The roof terrace and plazadrain into the water steps before re-circulatingback into the city. The reflections from thewater steps, similar to the shadows through thebricks, dance along the ceiling and seats of thetheatre.

drawing constructionmovement of water

View of Stage framed by Water Steps

Section through Water Steps, Stage and Theatre Seats

Section through Plaza Steps with Practice Rooms above

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Section through Water Steps, Stage and Theatre Seats.

The stage is framed by water steps, which collect water from thebuilding roof and plaza steps before re-circulating back into the city.The foundation level is meant to act like a bathtub, with thecapability to fill and drain water as needed.

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10’ 50’

The vaulted concrete foundation is pouredbelow street level with steps for the plaza andtheatre to descend into the earth. The concretefoundation also shapes and supports thecurved brick walls of the theatre and supportsthe suspended practice rooms. The practicerooms are shipping containers that hold acous-tical mahogany panels. The practice rooms arecompleted off site, shipped to the site andlowered into the wall.

building construction

Section through Stage and Water Steps Section through Plaza Steps and Practice Rooms

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1. Section through Foundation Caverns2. Detail of Door into Practice Hall

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3. Elevation of Suspended Practice Rooms4. Plans of Practice Room with Circular Staircases

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Entering into the theatre, the stage isframed by water steps which collectwater from the building before being re-circulated back into the city. Above theaudience hang acoustical panels fromsteel I-beams. The brick walls extendup to frame the roof terrace. The publicspaces can be used at night to watchstars on the roof terrace or enjoylistening to music from the practicerooms while sitting on the plaza.

Detail of Theatre Roof Structure,Brick Cavity and Vierendeel Truss

1. Section through Stage, Roof Terrace and Suspended Practice Room

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detail sections

5’ 25’1

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2. Section and Plan through Theatre Lobby and PlazaNext Two Pages: Sections through Theatre and Plaza

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p18 p20

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theatre section

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plaza section

bibliography and image credits

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G. SCHIRMER, INC. 1915. Frederic Chopin Album: A Collection of Thirty-ThreeFavorite Compositions For the Piano. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation.

LAWLOR, ROBERT. 1982. Sacred Geometry. NY: Thames & Hudson.

LEDBETTER, DAVID. 2002. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier: The 48 Preludesand Fugues. New Haven: Yale University Press.

PAJARES-AYUELA, PALOMA. 2001. Cosmatesque ornament: flat polychromegeometric patterns in architecture. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

MAP ON PAGE 1 & 2. GIS map of Charleston County, South Carolina. From1992 Black & White Orthography. Charleston County GIS: Permitting, Licensing& Property Department (accessed October 23rd, 2003) [Public Domain]

IMAGE CREDITS: All other images, sketches and illustrations are by the author.