Understanding Soundscape: A Multidisciplinary Paradigm Shift

1. Soundscape • Soundscape started to be a research field in the late sixties and received significant attention by researchers in the last twenty years in the field of community noise and environmental acoustics, and more recently by policy makers and practitioners due to its multidisciplinary approach focusing on how people actually experience their acoustic environments.

2. Soundscape Definition • acoustic environment as perceived or experienced and/or understood by people, in context • Soundscape as defined in 2014 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

3. 1st Key concept-People, Acoustic Environment, Context

4. Soundscape is a Paradigm Shift • Soundscape research represents this paradigm shift as it involves not only physical measurements but also the cooperation of human/social sciences (e.g. psychology, sociology, architecture, anthropology, medicine), to account for the diversity of soundscapes across countries and cultures; and it considers environmental sounds as a 'resource' rather than a 'waste’. • Soundscape research firstly relies upon human perception and then turns to physical assessment.

5. Construction of Human Perception Quoting: ISO12931-1. Acoustics-Soundscape- Part 1: Definition and Conceptual Framework, April 2014 Context The context includes the interrelationships between person and activity and place, in space and time. The context may influence soundscape through (1) the auditory sensation, (2) the interpretation of auditory sensation, and (3) the responses to the acoustic environment

6. Construction of Human Perception Quoting: ISO 12931-1. Acoustics-Soundscape- Part 1: Definition and Conceptual Framework, April 2014 Outcomes Outcomes are an overall, long-term consequence facilitated or enabled by the acoustic environment. Outcomes include attitudes, beliefs, judgments, habits, visitor/user experiences (e.g. activities, actions and mental states), health, well-being and quality of life, as well as reduced social costs for society.

7. 2nd Key Concept-Use of Resources people people group agreement acoustics availability resources localexpertise Environment utility meaning socialclimate environmental screening

8. Soundscape Resources • Soundscape uses a variety of investigation techniques, taxonomy and measurement methods. • Herewith it is possible to approach a subject or phenomenon to improve the validity of the research or design outcome and to reduce the uncertainty of relying only on one approach. • The Soundscape approach maximizes the use of available resources, especially it guarantees to involve stakeholders and people concerned through participation and co-creation.

9. 3rd Key concept - Perception, Co-Creation and Participation

10. The Concept • The Soundscape concept is introduced as a scope to rethink the evaluation of “noise” and its effects • Soundscape suggests exploring noise in its complexity and its ambivalence and its approach towards sound • Soundscape does understand evaluation of noise/ sound from perception to physics • Soundscape means to focus on the meaning of sounds and its implicit assessments to contribute to the understanding that the evaluation through perceptual effects is a key issue

11. ISO 12913 Soundscape Standard

12. ISO 12913 Soundscape Standard

13. ISO 12913-1: Acoustics-Soundscape-Part 1: Definition and conceptual framework • International Organization for Standardization - ISO/TC 43/SC 1/WG 54 Scope This International Standard provides a definition and a conceptual framework of soundscape. It explains factors relevant for measurement and reporting in soundscape studies, as well as for planning, design and management of soundscape. Quoting: ISO 12913-1 (2014). Acoustics. Soundscape, Part 1: Definition and conceptual framework, International Standardization Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

14. ISO 12913-1: Acoustics-Soundscape-Part 1: Definition and conceptual framework For the purpose of this International Standard, soundscape will be understood as a perceptual construct, related to a physical phenomenon. The standard distinguishes the perceptual construct (soundscape) from the physical phenomenon (acoustic environment), and clarifies that soundscape exists through human perception of the acoustic environment. Quoting: ISO 12913-1 (2014). Acoustics. Soundscape, Part 1: Definition and conceptual framework, International Standardization Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

15. ISO 12913-1: Acoustics-Soundscape-Part 1: Definition and conceptual framework Acoustic environment Sound at the receiver from all sound sources as modified by the environment (Acoustic environment can be actual or simulated, outdoor or indoor, as experienced or in memory.) Soundscape Acoustic environment as perceived or experienced and/or understood by a person or people, in context. Quoting: ISO 12913-1 (2014). Acoustics. Soundscape, Part 1: Definition and conceptual framework, International Standardization Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

16. Communication between disciplines The first part of the standard illustrates • that soundscape is people’s perceptions or experiences and/or understanding of an acoustic environment. • that measurement, assessment or evaluation of soundscape, in accordance with this International Standard, is through human perception of the acoustic environment.

17. ISO/TS 12913-2 Soundscape Standard

18. ISO/TS 12913-2 The new ISO/TS 12913-2 Acoustics-Soundscape  • Data collection and reporting requirements provides evaluation processes and information about participation of stakeholders and a guideline as to how to proceed • The ISO/TS was released on August 20th 2018 ISO/TS 12913-2 (2018). Acoustics. Soundscape, Part 2: Data Collection and reporting requirements, International Standardization Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

19. ISO/TS 12913-2 •  The Part 2 of the standard is fleshing out the information gathering and measurement and also reporting methods for each of the key components people / acoustic environment / context referencing further details of the preferred measurement approaches for each component in a series of normative and informative annexes.

20. The Approach • It is the assessment of the acoustic environment based not only on the contribution from different disciplines but also to be seen as a heterogeneous field of research. • It is a matter of collaboration to bring experiences, perception, and evaluation into the field of application. • With that it becomes a technical innovation which underlies an adaption process through communities, stakeholders and the people concerned. • The soundscape approach is holistic.

21. Part 2 follows main requirements from the World Health Report 2013 • Closer collaboration between researchers and policymakers, i.e. research needs to be taken outside the academic institutions and into public health programs that are close to the supply of and demand for health services. • Countries to build research capacity by developing a local workforce of well-trained, motivated researchers. • Every country to have comprehensive codes of good research practice in place. • Global and national research networks to coordinate research efforts by fostering collaboration and information exchange. • It serves the 3rd Key concept: Perception, Co-Creation and Participation

22. Soundscape: Co-Creation Concerns Stakeholders

23. ISO/TS 12913-3 Soundscape Standard

24. Data Analysis • For the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data through methods specified in ISO/TS 12913-2, methods and tools are applied. • In general, descriptive statistics are used to describe and summarize the collected perceptual data, such as measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion • For quantitative measures of dependence, inferential statistics using parametric and non-parametric tests are applied in dependence of the respective data. • Fulfilment of model assumptions are assessed, especially in the case of small numbers of participants. • However, as soundscape investigations are intended to be “holistic in covering all auditory sensations as well as all other context variables such as visual stimuli and personal expectations” [ISO 12913-2] the use of statistical analysis methods (e.g. statistical hypothesis testing) are recommended, but may be less important in case of qualitative or explorative methods.

25. There are three types of Soundscapes helping to understand the whole with benefit from the involvement of people directly concerned, as well as scientists and planners:

26. Soundscape: Type III Derivedbyhigherlevelconcerns Place related (conservation, heritage etc.) Planningderived (zoning, limits, reshapingareas etc.) Policy derived (quietareaby END, sustainability, EHIA etc.) ThreeTypes of Soundscape Soundscape: Type I Individuallyderived -Personal experience -Preferences -Type of activity -Matchingwith: intentions, expectations, purposes -Place relatedaspects Soundscape: Type II Derivedbygrouplevel Based on aggregatedjudgements From Lercher, P., Schulte-Fortkamp, B, TD0804. COST Action. Linking context and health with soundscape experience in COST Action TD0804

27. Soundscape Model Including Quality of Life and Health Quoting: Lercher,P., Schulte-Fortkamp, B., Soundscape of European cities and Landscape: Harmonising in COST TD-0804, 2013

28. Soundscape research and models • Researches on soundscape have clearly addressed the need to transfer their outcomes into the practice of soundscape design. In this process, the models of soundscape are useful tools to assist urban planners and designers in predicting the potential users’ appraisals of a designed soundscape and to tune it in order to match the subjective expectations and experiences. • Several models have been developed and proposed so far, from the conceptual (for instance to the numerical ones. • The aim of the latter is to find a relationship between a specific soundscape attribute (the dependent variable) and variables explaining such attribute (the independent variables). • Thus, to develop such models, data on both descriptors of the sonic environment and subjective ratings on the perceived soundscape are necessary, hopefully including data on other factors that may affect the perception of the environment, such as its visual aspect. • Quoting: Brambilla, Di Gabriele, Gallo, Maffei 2013

29. Requirements • The worldwide known Nauener Platz project, for instance, required the direct collaboration of architects, acoustics engineers, environmental health specialists, psychologists, social scientists, and urban developers. • Integrating the Soundscape approach from the beginning of the redevelopment project enabled a horizontal, long-term dialogue with the people in the area. • The project that resulted was effectively guided by its many participants, with a final outcome in a unique solution for mitigating noise and creating a much-needed ‘backyard’ for the local residents through an improved soundscape.

30. Requirements • The worldwide known Nauener Platz project, for instance, required the direct collaboration of architects, acoustics engineers, environmental health specialists, psychologists, social scientists, and urban developers. • Integrating the Soundscape approach from the beginning of the redevelopment project enabled a horizontal, long-term dialogue with the people in the area. • The project that resulted was effectively guided by its many participants, with a final outcome in a unique solution for mitigating noise and creating a much-needed ‘backyard’ for the local residents through an improved soundscape.

31. Changing the Acoustic Environment Spectra-s, „Artemis“ / HEAD acoustics Stop

32. Soundscape and the Built Environment • The built environment, after all, is not a monolithic construction; questions of comfort, engagement, and connection depend on the history and current purpose of a place. • An acoustic environment is constructed in its entirety by the people who use it and their interactions with the space. Thus the strategies used to understand any particular location must be adapted to these singularities. • Soundscape approach can, for instance, provide a feedback loop between physical measurements and stakeholder communication based on mutual respect, trust and cooperation. • Balancing between acoustic measurements, architectural planning and the expertise from people living in the area has to lead to a new understanding of urban planning.