A Study of the Ideal Acoustical/Spatial Environment for Rave/EDM Performance Spaces

Abstract

By examining the types of space raves inhabited, from the predominate 90s anarchist grass-root origins of the urban undergrounds to today's contemporary youth in vast landscapes of com-modified festivals and clubs, as well as their generational socio-cultural implications, I question: what would the ideal 21st century rave space be? This is my overarching thesis question on a broad level, where for this journal research study, I break it down into a smaller area of focus, such as acoustics and space. This study involves identifying the ideal architectural acoustical and spatial characteristics of rave performance spaces, focusing on a diverse range of past and present exemplar performance spaces and their physical, mental and emotional perceptual experiences both objectively and subjectively.