If you had the opportunity, what concert hall and recording studio would you design? Who would play in it? How would you ensure sound insulation and the best acoustic quality? These questions are already circulating in the minds of more than 70 Lithuanian students and 10 teachers.
KTU Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture international project “Design. Engineer. Construct! Lithuania” participants will have to design a Music House in the center of Kaunas.
Last year, students designed the James Bond Hotel in London. This time, the participants who continue to participate in the project or are completely new will have to delve into the specifics of concert halls and recording studios, pay attention to acoustics. They will have the opportunity to learn from the best experts in this field in Lithuania. Participants will not only have to come up with the idea, uniqueness, logos, layout, architectural ideas of their Music House, but also create 3D models with a professional design program, prepare descriptions of structures, engineering networks and other important parts of the project.
Students – from all over the country
For the second year in a row, Kaunas Saulė Gymnasium is joining Kaunas University of Technology Engineering Lyceum, Vilnius Žemynos and Panevėžys J. Balčikonis Gymnasiums, which participated in the project for the second year.
“This project is attractive in that it combines art, engineering, allows students to try out design tools that real architects and civil engineers work with, and finally – allows them to create atypical structures and visualize them. A very important component of the project is the connection with experts in the field,” says Andrius Jurelionis, Dean of Faculty.
According to him, during the pandemic period, the organizers and participants need to adapt, move part of the meetings and events to the virtual space.
“In the face of a pandemic, both we and students are seeing the importance of digital design in today’s world. Students can not only work with digital models themselves, but can visit the construction site without leaving home, upload their created objects to the scanned urban environment. I am glad that more schools will take part in the project this year. We will not disappoint them, we will include many specialists and inspiring personalities in the project,” the dean states.
Tips – from famous artists
Participants were able to gain knowledge and inspiration already during the opening, although due to the prevention of Covid-19, the participants could not gather live for the opening, they met a number of well-known experts remotely.
In a pre-recorded report on the presentation of the task, Freaks on Floor vocalist Justinas Jarutis and drummer Rokas Beliukevičius, Biplan vocalist Maksas Melmanas and comedian Mantas Bartuševičius told about what they expect from concert halls and recording studios.
All performers unanimously paid a lot of attention to the acoustics of the concert halls, closeness to the audience and coziness. They also pointed out that a rest room and a place where they can calmly wait for their performance is especially important for performers, both before concerts and when recording.
World-class experts will advise
After the performers, the initiator of the project Alison Watson from Great Britain greeted the participants. The founder of Class of Your Own will run an identical project with British students and the team.
Giedrius Masalskis, the Head of the LRT Radio Department, briefly introduced the participants to the nuances of recording studies. The project participants are waiting for more meetings and acquaintances with the LRT OPUS sound recording studio and the experts working here. This radio station is also becoming a project partner this year.
Gintaras Balčytis, a well-known architect who was also recognized as an artist of the year and a lecturer of the KTU architecture study program, advised on architectural ideas and how to come up with his own project. He was followed by Ben Burgess, an acoustic engineer from the UK, about the importance of acoustics and his experience in designing the BBC Maida Vale Center.
“We hope that these people will inspire participants to take an interest, create and boldly ask various experts how they can better implement their project. There is constant talk of the need to change the established learning process, this project allows students and teachers to try out project-based learning opportunities. When participants have to use a complex of knowledge and skills, from languages, art, mathematics to physics and IT knowledge,” said Laura Jankauskaitė-Jurevičienė, project program coordinator.
Students will create their dream Music House in teams by May.
Project partners: Class of Your Own, Bentley systems, LRT OPUS, KTU Centre of Smart Cities and Infrastructure.
