The research question is: “How to develop and apply acoustic artifacts and design
methodologies for improving soundscapes in urban outdoor spaces?” In the project, this
research question is limited to two specific types of urban outdoor spaces – city-park and
city-square – and to two types of acoustic design artifacts. These are:
I. Dynamic promotion of qualitative site specific sounds (e.g., the overall site specific sonic
atmosphere, sounds from human activities, birds and fountains), which creates an improved
soundscape.
II. Sound-art installations, that creates delimited auditory sub-spaces within the park/square.
The purpose and method is:
1. To provide two case-studies of artistic soundscape improvement, one in a noise polluted
city-park and one in a city-square. The case-studies will serve as models for future
applications of the new acoustic design artifacts.
2. To create and validate an innovative acoustic design methodology based on state-of-the-art
real-time acoustic simulation tools integrated into the design process. The methodology will
be validated in psychoacoustic listening experiments and field studies.
3. To determine the potential of the two acoustic design artifacts (I Dynamic promotion of
qualitative site specific sounds, and II Sound-art installations) for providing pleasant and
restorative soundscapes, in order to strengthening the social interaction as well as the spatial
and aesthetical qualities in noise polluted city parks/squares.
The present project beats a new track by combining acoustic design with sound art research,
integrating methodologies based on real-time acoustic simulation and application of
psychoacoustic methodology for validating simulations and for evaluating perceptual,
emotional and behavioural effects on visitors to public open spaces. The ongoing research
project, financed by the Swedish Research Council, is executed by the University College of
Arts, Crafts and Design (Konstfack), Gosta Ekman Laboratory – Stockholm University and
Karolinska Institutet and the Interactive Institute, all in Stockholm, Sweden.
[1]
B. Berglund,et al.
Soundscape quality in suburban green areas and city parks.
,
2006
.
[2]
Karl Bolin,et al.
Auditory masking of wanted and unwanted sounds in a city park
,
2010
.
[3]
L. Jackson.
The relationship of urban design to human health and condition
,
2003
.
[4]
Charles S. Watson,et al.
Some comments on informational masking
,
2005
.
[5]
P. Amphoux,et al.
L' identité sonore des villes européennes
,
1993
.
[6]
B. Shinn-Cunningham,et al.
Note on informational masking (L)
,
2003
.
[7]
Pierre Schaeffer.
Traité des objets musicaux
,
1966
.
[8]
Wolfgang Babisch,et al.
Road traffic noise and cardiovascular risk.
,
2008,
Noise & health.
[9]
B. Shinn-Cunningham,et al.
Note on informational masking.
,
2003,
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
[10]
Björn Hellström,et al.
Noise design : Architectural Modelling and the Aesthetics of Urban Acoustic Spase
,
2003
.
[11]
Tor Kihlman.
Sustainable development in an urbanized world - The noise issue
,
2006
.
[12]
Henry Torgue,et al.
A l'écoute de l'environnement : répertoire des effets sonores
,
1995
.
[13]
Jian Kang,et al.
Acoustic comfort evaluation in urban open public spaces
,
2005
.