This thesis presents practical research into sound production on instruments, working collaboratively with players, in order to build an understanding of the sounds available. I have explored the way in which instrumental technique can be extended in such a way as to function as the basis for musical material. The function of ‘figuration’ has also be brought into question, by employing seemingly primitive, residual material pushed to such a degree that it is possible to hear what happens underneath a gesture. Research in this area has been conducted by, among others, Helmut Lachenmann and Rebecca Saunders; I am drawn to the way their work highlights the tangible quality of sound. The exploration of the physicality of sound production inevitably encounters the problem that the finished work becomes a catalogue of extended techniques. My research has drawn on the work of these composers and has attempted to resolve this problem by exploring the way in which texture can suggest ‘line’ and the structural implications of sculpting self-referential material through angular and polarized divisions. This facilitates a Braille-like reading of a sound’s progress by foregrounding a non-thematic sound-surface of resonance and decay. This takes a positive and active approach to the problems of musical language, by questioning the functions and expectations put upon music. The possible solutions have been worked through in a series of works for mixed chamber ensembles, in order to investigate the palette possibilities of fusing instruments in intimate settings.

Este trabalho consiste em uma investigação aprofundada da arquitetura dos museus projetados por Oscar Niemeyer de 1951 a 2006. O período estudado abrange praticamente todas as fases da carreira do arquiteto. Os limites temporais são definidos pelo Palácio das Artes, o primeiro museu criado, e pelo Museu Nacional de Brasília, o último museu construído. Nosso objetivo foi compreender o papel do programa como coadjuvante dentro da metodologia projetual de Niemeyer, a partir da hipótese de que, nos projetos de museus, sua preferência pela definição formal e o desejo de evidenciar os desafios da técnica levaram-no a elaborar parte do programa que criou, justificando assim a volumetria projetada e construída. A investigação possibilitou afirmar que Niemeyer utilizou, durante décadas, nos museus que projetou, um programa arquitetônico simples, e que nos museus de maior escala, que efetivamente construiu Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói (1991-1996), Museu Oscar Niemeyer (2000-2002) e Museu Nacional de Brasília (1999 2006) acrescentou a esse programa simples atividades que nasceram, fundamentalmente, em razão de questões formais e estruturais. / This work consists of an in-depth investigation of the architecture of museums designed by Oscar Niemeyer from 1951 to 2006. The period studied covers essentially all phases in the architects career. The time limits are defined by the Palácio das Artes, the first museum designed by the architect, and by the Museu Nacional de Brasília, the last museum built until this date. Our goal is to understand the role of architectural program as a supporting one inside Niemeyers project methodology, from the hypothesis that, in the museums projects, his preference towards formal definition and the desire to highlight technical challenges led him to develop part of the program created, thus justifying the volumetry designed and built. The investigation made possible for us to state that Niemeyer used, for decades, in the museums he designed, a simple architectural program, and that in the museums of larger scales which he actually built the Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói (1991-1996), the Museu Oscar Niemeyer (2000-2002) and the Museu Nacional de Brasília (1999-2006) he added, to that same simple program, activities that were born, fundamentally, out of formal and structural issues.

Macro-scale planning and design as a product of modernism have been abandoned to a high degree, as a result of the reactionary post-modern approaches since the 1960&amp / #65533 / s. Intensifying with the rise of neo-liberal approaches in the 1970&amp / #65533 / s, these reactions advocated merely incremental decision-making and design in the making of cities. These developments lived in the western countries showed their reflections in Turkey with the 1980&amp / #65533 / s, resulting in fragmented planning practices. However it is the hypothesis of the study that macro-scale urban design: thus designing the form and the structural elements of the city is the statement of the development policy of the city. Thus structural elements that make up a certain city form is a major area of concern for urban design. Within this frame firstly the debate between the modern and post-modern approaches about the scope of intervening in the development of the city will be evaluated. Then the Turkish planning approach will be analyzed with regard to its success in development control. Basic city forms and their growth characteristics will be examined in the next part. Finally the planning practices of Ankara and the form and the structural elements proposed will be evaluated accordingly.

Este trabalho consiste em uma investigação aprofundada da arquitetura dos museus projetados por Oscar Niemeyer de 1951 a 2006. O período estudado abrange praticamente todas as fases da carreira do arquiteto. Os limites temporais são definidos pelo Palácio das Artes, o primeiro museu criado, e pelo Museu Nacional de Brasília, o último museu construído. Nosso objetivo foi compreender o papel do programa como coadjuvante dentro da metodologia projetual de Niemeyer, a partir da hipótese de que, nos projetos de museus, sua preferência pela definição formal e o desejo de evidenciar os desafios da técnica levaram-no a elaborar parte do programa que criou, justificando assim a volumetria projetada e construída. A investigação possibilitou afirmar que Niemeyer utilizou, durante décadas, nos museus que projetou, um programa arquitetônico simples, e que nos museus de maior escala, que efetivamente construiu Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói (1991-1996), Museu Oscar Niemeyer (2000-2002) e Museu Nacional de Brasília (1999 2006) acrescentou a esse programa simples atividades que nasceram, fundamentalmente, em razão de questões formais e estruturais. / This work consists of an in-depth investigation of the architecture of museums designed by Oscar Niemeyer from 1951 to 2006. The period studied covers essentially all phases in the architects career. The time limits are defined by the Palácio das Artes, the first museum designed by the architect, and by the Museu Nacional de Brasília, the last museum built until this date. Our goal is to understand the role of architectural program as a supporting one inside Niemeyers project methodology, from the hypothesis that, in the museums projects, his preference towards formal definition and the desire to highlight technical challenges led him to develop part of the program created, thus justifying the volumetry designed and built. The investigation made possible for us to state that Niemeyer used, for decades, in the museums he designed, a simple architectural program, and that in the museums of larger scales which he actually built the Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói (1991-1996), the Museu Oscar Niemeyer (2000-2002) and the Museu Nacional de Brasília (1999-2006) he added, to that same simple program, activities that were born, fundamentally, out of formal and structural issues.