The rich acoustic qualities of churches and places of worship, in general, play a crucial role in shaping the auditory display and enhancing the spiritual ambiance one generally experiences when inside them. Due to their large volumes and multi-domed ceilings, coupled to several sub spaces, such structures have complex acoustic qualities, and their acoustic characteristics have been subject to scientific studies for several decades. Examples of such studies include but are not limited to the measurements, analysis, and modelling of the Notre Dame de Paris (Katz & Weber 2020) and Hagia Sophia (Woszczyk, 2017). Such studies, also serve as a means for digitally preserving the acoustic properties of places of interest for future reference. The coupling of this data with historic research can lead to the reconstruction of acoustically accurate scientific auralizations oftentimes coupled with immersive virtual reality cultural heritage experiences.
Stemming from past research this work focuses on the study and analysis of the acoustic characteristics of the Kapnikarea church as a means for unveiling and understanding its unique characteristics as well as digitally preserving its acoustic imprint. The Byzantine Church of Panagia Kapnikarea stands in the city center of Athens, Greece. It was built around 1050 AD, on the remnants of an ancient temple, possibly dedicated to either Athena or Demeter. Remains of this pre-existing temple, including ancient columns and sculptures were incorporated in its construction. Architecturally, the Kapnikarea Church showcases a complex yet harmonious blend of styles, combining elements of the cross-in-square type with a dome, a triconch, and later additions like the open narthex on the western side. Structurally, the church comprises three distinct sections: the main sanctuary devoted to Virgin Mary, a northern chapel honouring St. Barbara, and the western narthex. Each component contributes to the church's rich historical significance, reflecting the evolution of Byzantine architecture.
This paper will describe the process of creating acoustically accurate models of the Kapnikarea church during several of its construction and renovation stages for study and auralization. The model was created in CATT-Acoustic based on physical measurements and limited architectural designs, and calibrated using in-situ acoustic measurements, following the process described in Postma (2015). The resulting geometric model shares acoustic qualities that are within Just-Noticeable-Difference (JND) thresholds with the church, offering various possibilities for study and exploration. A comprehensive overview of the church's acoustic qualities including but not limited to reverberation time (T30), clarity (C50, C80), definition (D50), STI etc. will be provided for various of it occupation states. Auralizations of the church using the acoustic model are also being compared to in-situ audio recordings, as a means for further evaluating the effectiveness of the model's calibration process.
The resulting model permits the accurate digital reconstruction, exploration, and preservation of the acoustic essence of the church and adds to relevant scientific work in the field. Future work includes the development of a visual display for the design of an immersive and acoustically accurate virtual reality experience of the church acoustic model.
Dr. Areti Andreopoulou is an Associate Professor in Music Technology at the Department of Music Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). She graduated from the Department of Music Studies of NKUA in 2005 and then attended the Masters and PhD programs in Music Technology at New York University in the USA, where she graduated in 2013. Her PhD thesis focused on the development of tools to ensure optimal auditory experience in virtual and augmented auditory reality (VR) environments. She has also worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the French research center CNRS from 2014-2016, conducting research on human auditory perception in virtual/mixed reality environments. Since 2018, she is a faculty member of the Department of Music Studies at NKUA, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses, supervises doctoral candidates, and conducts scientific research on topics pertaining to Music Technology. She has participated as a researcher in numerous nationally funded research projects, such as ASMA, TRACCE, and WitheFlow, and she is the NKUA Principal Investigator of the European Horizon project SONICOM (Grant agreement # 101017743). She has been a Fulbright Scholar, and her studies and research have been supported by grants from Audio Engineering Society Educational Foundation, Lillian Voudouri, Gerontelis, and Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. She is also actively involved in the organization of international and domestic conferences, and serves as a reviewer of scientific publications related to the field of Music Technology.
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