(Re)creating architecture through sound: Sound as a means of addressing sonic memories of the besieged Sarajevo

Abstract

This study investigates the intersection of sound, architecture, and memory to address the auditory trauma and spatial disorientation caused by the Siege of Sarajevo (1992–1996). Positioning sound as both an evocative medium and a reconstructive tool, the research examines its capacity to convey collective memory, foster resilience, and support psychological recovery. Grounded in Bernhard Leitner’s Sound Theory and the principles of aural architecture, the study employs a “research-to-create” methodology, combining survivor narratives with psychoacoustic design to produce two experimental sound installations.

The first installation, Symphony of the Siege, reconstructs the wartime sonic landscape of Sarajevo through electro-acoustic composition, guiding the listener through four spatial scales: urban expanse, street density, sheltered interiors, and intimate domesticity. The second installation, Peace, functions as a therapeutic sound composition, offering a contemplative transition from the visceral intensity of the first, encouraging emotional closure and spatial reflection.

Together, these installations not only replicate the acoustic and architectural conditions of conflict but also propose sound as a transformative architectural element—capable of reshaping spatial perception, mediating trauma, and reconstructing memory. The study advances the discourse on trauma-informed architecture by introducing sound as a critical material in the design of empathetic, multisensory environments. By bridging architecture, psychoacoustics, and trauma studies, this work offers a new framework for post-conflict spatial practices that foreground emotional restoration and collective remembrance.