Merging physical parameters and laboratory subjective ratings for the soundscape assessment of urban squares

Abstract

An experimental study was carried out in 20 squares in the center of Rome, covering a wide range of different uses, sonic environments, geometry, and architectural styles. Soundwalks along the perimeter of each square were performed during daylight and weekdays taking binaural and video recordings, as well as spot measurements of illuminance. The cluster analysis performed on the physical parameters, not only acoustic, provided two clusters that are in satisfactory agreement with the "a priori" classification. Applying the principal component analysis (PCA) to five physical parameters, two main components were obtained which might be associated to two environmental features, namely, "chaotic/calm" and "open/enclosed." On the basis of these two features, six squares were selected for the laboratory audio-video tests where 32 subjects took part filling in a questionnaire. The PCA performed on the subjective ratings on the sonic environment showed two main components which might be associated to two emotional meanings, namely, "calmness" and "vibrancy." The linear regression modeling between five objective parameters and the mean value of subjective ratings on chaotic/calm and enclosed/open attributes showed a good correlation. Notwithstanding these interesting results being limited to the specific data set, it is worth pointing out that the complexity of the soundscape quality assessment can be more comprehensively examined merging the field measurements of physical parameters with the subjective ratings provided by field and/or laboratory tests.

Soundscape evaluation in a Catholic cathedral and Buddhist temple precincts through social surveys and soundwalks

“…Many researchers have investigated the effects of environmental context including visual images, fragrances, and daylight on soundscape perception. It was found that visual environment was significantly related to soundscapes (Flindell and Stallen, 1999;Job and Hatfield, 2001;Carles et al, 1992;Viollon et al, 2002;Jeon et al, 2011;Brambilla et al, 2013b;Jeon et al, 2013).…”

Ten questions on the soundscapes of the built environment

“…Although processes of globalization and new technologies can change the urban soundscape making its recognition harder, this intangible element does not always lose its intrinsic characteristics as recognized and felt by the population and it becomes one of the signs of the identity of a city (Maffei, Iannace, & Lembo, 2004;Brambilla, De Gregorio, Maffei, Yuksel Can, & Ozcevik, 2007;Gómez Escobar, et al, 2012;Brambilla, Maffei, Di Gabriele, & Gallo, 2013).…”

Multi-sensory landscape assessment: The contribution of acoustic perception to landscape evaluation

“…[21][22][23][24][25] In this context, the interaction between visual and aural perceptions has become a topic of interest. 13,23,[26][27][28][29] In the research by Carles et al, 26 respondents were required to rate their preference for image, sound, and image-sound combinations, respectively, following a specifically designed process. The results showed that any incongruence between sound and image would diminish landscape preference.…”