Long Range

Long Range is an experimental acoustic surface composed of slumped glass panes arranged in a double layer. It exhibits gradients of acoustic behaviors including reflection, diffusion, absorption, and transmission, accessed via various formal and geometric modifications of the glass panes. Moving from flat panels at one end, to increasingly slumped and perforated panels, Long Range culminates in deeply curved panels with porous openings The panels aggregate into an acoustic and visual system of versatile behavior. Long Range moves fluidly through the range of acoustic behaviors: the flat end primarily exhibits acoustic reflection, the center diffusion, and the severe end absorption and transmission. It is important to note that all parts of the surface exhibit all four behaviors to some extent and result in an uninterrupted acoustic gradient.

Two layers of glass were utilized to increase effective surface depth and create cavities in some modules that absorb sound, via a process known as Helmholtz resonance. The material research has focused on the production of refined and predictable glass components, acoustic testing of full-scale prototypes, and strategizing a surface assembly for sonic testing and variation. Specific lines of research within the development of Long Range include controlled slumping of glass through cut patterns (most notably auxetic patterns) and room-sized formal and acoustic effects through wave-based simulation techniques.

Lab testing demonstrates a correlation between the severity of curvature, the presence of openings, and the amount of acoustic absorption, indicating that traditional realms of acoustic behavior may be part of a single continuum.