“What is a straight line in two-dimensional space? The continuous change of one dimension compared to the other. The same happens in the pitch versus time domain: the straight line is the continuous change of pitch versus time. The difference between physical and musical space is that the former is homogeneous: both dimensions are lengths and distances. In music, however, the two dimensions, pitch and time, are alien in nature from one another and are connected only by their ordering structure. The musicians of ancient times, Guido d’Arezzo and others, weren’t conscious of that, and neither are those living today. I’ve thought a lot about it and can see this question clearly.” -Iannis Xenkais, Conversation with Iannis  Xenakis

Institut de Recherche et Coordination Architecture/Musique should be an unprecedented research facility devoted to both music and architecture, without being either a music academy (e.g. Juiliard School of Music) or a school of architecture. Currently there is no model of such institution, but the closest would be: 1) late Iannis Xenakis’s personal studio and 2) IRCAM (Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustic/Musique) in Paris, France.
The proposed research institute in Columbus should orient itself primarily on continuing the study of Iannis Xenakis, although the institution should not be confused with traditional musicological societies. It should have the equipment and spaces necessary for both disciplines.

Design
In his book Musiques formelles, Iannis Xenakis introduce the idea of gaming into musical composition and performance. In the book he describes the duality between the traditional autonomous music, against his proposed heteronomous music. In short, autonomous music describes the traditional score-based linear process of musical perceptions, from the composer (score) to the ensemble (conductor and orchestra) to the listeners (audiences). According to Xenakis, in such kind of linear delivery the unfolding of sonic discourse follows an open line without loops. Opposition between the instrumental and conductorial aspects of a piece, if any, only exists in an internal form within the work. The tensions are “shut up” in the score. Heteronomous music, on the contrary, is entirely based on the idea of external conflicts. According to Xenakis, in heternomous music the sonic discourse would then be identified as a very strict, although often stochastic, succession of sets of acts of sonic opposition. These acts would derive form both the will of the two (or more) conductors as well as from the will of the composer, all in a higher dialectical harmony. It is very much like a typical two-person zero-sum game theory, where the moves and outcomes take by two parties can be mapped in a matrix.