Towards an agile participatory urban soundscape planning framework

Abstract

This paper presents an agile participatory urban soundscape planning process model, which is proposed as a prerequisite on which to build and reference the efficacy of urban soundscape planning. The model was developed through data synthesis and analysis and mapping engagement with diverse stakeholders across four applied soundscape projects in Brighton and Hove, UK. To the best of the authorÕs knowledge, the model is the first of its kind in applied soundscape practice. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and document analysis of published resources. The framework used for the analysis of the findings comprised four core urban planning stages: goals and objectives; engagement (e.g. prediction/modelling/design/planning); implications; evaluation. The study found that when integrating soundscape planning with core urban planning stages it was necessary to first identify the appropriate stakeholders in relation to the project context. It was found that these stakeholders could be wide-ranging and unexpected thereby reinforcing the appropriateness of incorporating an agile approach in the resulting model. The study also found that usersÕ perceptions are central to soundscape practice (ISO 2014) and need to be considered at each stage of a planning process to produce an effective and sustainable outcome. A variety of specific events, appropriate to the requirements of the stakeholders, are important for engaging planning authorities, users and other stakeholders at different stages. This study also demonstrated that an evidence based evaluation method is recommended in an agile participatory urban soundscape planning process to assess stakeholdersÕ engagement at each stage and to inform and guide subsequent steps in the planning process relevant to the local context(s).

Associations between Positive Health-Related Effects and Soundscapes Perceptual Constructs: A Systematic Review

“…The corpus of soundscape studies is growing steadily, and their outreach is increasing accordingly [ 18 ], which is promising evidence that the course of this research field is changing. Several studies have tried to provide scientific evidence of the benefits of the “soundscape approach” for public engagement, health, and well-being [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]; however, the lack of empirical and analytical evidence to support that claim is still perceived as a crucial issue by the scientific community [ 23 ].…”

Quality assessment of acoustic environment reproduction methods for cinematic virtual reality in soundscape applications

“…When non-expert listeners are recruited to evaluate the soundscape designs in VR during the participatory design approach [73,74], spatial audio reproduction methods with sufficient ecological validity (i.e. FOA-tracked binaural, FOA-2D speaker array) is crucial in ensuring a perceptually accurate assessment [24].…”

What are the Current Priorities and Challenges for (Urban) Soundscape Research?

“…However, there are still very few (properly documented) application cases that practitioners can refer to. The City of Brighton and Hove (UK) set out some examples of soundscape planning, but the inclusion of soundscape recommendations in the final design decisions about a number of urban interventions was sometimes limited [18]. The reason given by the planning authority was the lack of scientific evidence and, most noticeably, the prevalence of other aspects such as mobility, energy efficiency and air pollution control, which seem to be higher on the agenda of local authorities.…”