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Welcome to "The Past Has Ears"

The Past Has Ears is a portal to research on Cultural Heritage of Acoustics, focusing on room acoustics and soundscape.

This site currently hosts 2 projects:

  • the European PHE project, the namesake at the origin of this project
  • the French project PHEND, an extension to certain aspects of the PHE project

Thee 2 projects are inspired by the concept of the mythical phoenix, represented by the constellation phe, and the detrimental fires which have ravaged various historical sites having an acoustics of importance. These projects rely on the use of virtual reality and simulations to study and experience the acoustics of historical sites. The projects also represent a collaborative effort between social/human science researchers and acoustic/information technology researchers, to the benefit of all disciplines.


PHE : The Past Has Ears

EU JPI-CH PHE : The Past Has Ears (2020-2023)

PHE is a collaborative research project. Partners in the project include researchers from a wide range of disciplines focusing on room acoustics as an important aspect of cultural heritage. Funding has been provided by the EU JPI Cultural Heritage project PHE.

  • University of York, York, UK
  • University of Parma, Parma, Italy
  • Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
  • Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (MSH) Lyon St-Etienne, Lyon, France
  • Direction régionale des affaires culturelles d'Île-de-France (Notre Dame), Paris, France
  • Houses of Parliament, London, UK
  • Parco Archeologico di Tindari (Tindari Theatre), Tindari, Italy

When we think about great architectural achievements in European history, such as ancient amphitheatres or gothic cathedrals, their importance is strongly tied to their acoustic environment. The acoustics of a site is an intangible consequence of the space’s tangible construction and furnishings. It is ephemeral, while also a concrete result of the physical nature of the environment. Through the “Past Has Ears” project (the PHE project), we will explore how via measurements, research, and virtual reconstructions the acoustics of heritage spaces can be documented, reconstructed, and experienced for spaces both existing and in various altered states. Inspired by the project’s namesake (Phé, for the constellation Phoenix), and the recent fires at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (2019) and Teatro La Fenice opera hall (1996, also meaning Phoenix), PHE focuses on the preservation, conservation, and reconstruction of heritage sites, bringing them back from the ashes for use by researchers, stake holders, cultural institutions, and the general public. Comprising research teams with experience in acoustic reconstructions and historical research, paired with national heritage monuments of acoustic importance, the consortium will develop a joint methodology for addressing relevant archaeological acoustics issues across Europe with historians of different disciplines. Specialists in tangible/intangible cultural heritage legal issues ensure the viability and longevity of the methodology guidelines. The consortium will prototype next generation exploration tools for presenting digital acoustic reconstructions to scientists and museum visitors alike. Results will be evaluated with associated test heritage sites, created in partnership with stakeholders and experienced content producers. Presentation methods provide first-person in-situ or offsite explorations, with the ability to experience various historical periods. For deteriorated sites, this approach provides access to situations impossible to experience onsite.

B. F. G. Katz, D. Murphy, and A. Farina, “The Past Has Ears (PHE) : XR Explorations of acoustic spaces as Cultural Heritage,” in Intl Conf on Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Computer Graphics (SALENTO AVR) (L. De Paolis and P. Bourdot, eds.), vol. 12243 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, (Salento), pp. 91–98, Sept. 2020, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-58468-9_7.


PHEND : The Past Has Ears at Notre Dame

ANR PHEND : The Past Has Ears at Notre Dame (2020-2024)

PHEND is a French collaborative research project funded by the ANR. Partners in the project include researchers from a wide range of disciplines, all with an interest in the sonic history of the Notre-Dame cathedral.

  • Institut Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, Sorbonne Université, Paris
  • Centre André Chastel (CAC) : Laboratoire de recherche en histoire de l'art, Sorbonne Université, Paris
  • Institut de recherche en Musicologie (IReMus) , Sorbonne Université, Paris
  • Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (MSH) Lyon St-Etienne, Lyon
  • Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), SACRe (Sciences, arts, création, recherche), Paris
  • Sunmetron, Agence d'architecture présentant des compétences en création, réhabilitation et restauration d'édifices, Paris
  • Narrative, Producteur pour les nouveaux médias, Paris

When we think about great architectural achievements in history, such as Gothic cathedrals, their importance is strongly tied to their acoustic environment. The acoustics of a heritage site is an intangible consequence of the space’s tangible construction and furnishings. It is ephemeral, while also a concrete result of the physical nature of the environment. Through this project, we will explore how via measurements, research, and virtual reconstructions the acoustics of one of France’s most notable heritage spaces can be documented, reconstructed, and experienced by both researchers and the general public. Inspired by the project’s namesake (Phé, for the constellation Phoenix), the project focuses on the digital reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris, a world heritage site, bringing it back from the ashes, examining its evolution and importance in history, and working with the restoration team on its future. The consortium comprises research teams in SHS and STIC, with experience in historical, musical, architectural, and acoustical research.


start.1602092043.txt.gz · Last modified: 2020/10/07 19:34 by katz