Using Virtual Soundwalk Approach for Assessing Sound Art Soundscape Interventions in Public Spaces

Abstract

This paper discusses the soundscape assessment approaches to soundscape interventions with musical features introduced to public spaces as permanent sound art, with a focus on the ISO 12913 series, Method A for data collection applied in a laboratory study. Three soundscape interventions in three cities are investigated. The virtual soundwalk is used to combine the benefits of the on-site and laboratory settings. Two measurement points per location were recorded—one at a position where the intervention was clearly perceptible, the other further away to serve as a baseline condition. The participants (N = 44) were exposed to acoustic environments (N = 6) recorded using the first-order Ambisonics microphone on-site and then reproduced via the second-order Ambisonics system in laboratory. A series of rank-based Kruskal–Wallis tests were performed on the results of the subjective responses. Results revealed a statistically significant positive effect on soundscape at two locations, and limitations related to sound source identification due to cultural factors and geometrical configuration of the public space at one location.

Assessing the changing urban sound environment during the COVID-19 lockdown period using short-term acoustic measurements

“…The soundscape approach, as complementary to noise monitoring techniques, has the potential to reveal de-tails about the acoustic environments of cities that might otherwise be overlooked with conventional methodologies [38][39][40]. While no actual perceptual/individual data is discussed here, the protocol for the binaural recordings would be compliant with the Technical Specifications for soundscape data collection ISO/TS 12913-2:2018 [15], thus it can more objectively characterize the acoustic environment as experienced by an average user on site, possibly offering more temporal and spatial accuracy than, for instance, a fixed sensor in a distributed monitoring network.…”

Acoustics for Supportive and Healthy Buildings: Emerging Themes on Indoor Soundscape Research

“…Such methods are often integrated within soundwalks [52], a participatory group walk in an area with a focus on listening to the acoustic environment and on reporting the perceptual response ( Figure 2). The area can be real or virtual, in the latter case referring to "virtual soundwalks" [70]. Soundwalks are useful to collect feedback from people, while inviting participants to re-connect to the acoustic environment in which they are immersed.…”

Spatial Soundscapes and Virtual Worlds: Challenges and Opportunities

“…In comparing judgments on soundscapes obtained in situ with those obtained remotely [i.e., in a dedicated room with sound and visual stimuli (Brambilla and Maffei, 2010;Oberman et al, 2020)], we highlighted that only the right number of sources can recreate the auditive feeling of being there (Jiang et al, 2018), which corresponds to hearing sound all around.…”

“…How to plan these soundscape changes has been addressed by the scientific community in two ways (Kang and Schulte-Fortkamp, 2016 ): (1) by evaluating in local communities physical indicators closely related to perception (Licitra et al, 2005 ; Memoli et al, 2008a ; Kang et al, 2019 ) and (2) by standardizing acoustic surveys such that local residents are directly questioned to assess their perceptions of and expectations for the local acoustic climate; see Fields et al ( 2001 ) and the ISO 12913 series (ISO/TC 43/SC 1 Noise, 2018 ). Armed with novel indicators, in the years following the END, different researchers—from the early days (Memoli et al, 2008b ; Payne et al, 2009 ) to the most recent (Hong et al, 2020 ; Oberman et al, 2020 ) —have introduced a future where sounds can be added to an existing urban acoustic environment to change the perception of listeners.…”

“…This led to a number of studies where the soundscape of a place (and changes to it) is evaluated remotely in a laboratory through an immersive experience designed to recreate the acoustical feeling of “being there.” Brambilla and Maffei ( 2010 ) pioneered this type of study, comparing their findings for two Italian cities (Rome and Naples) with laboratory experiences using 2D pictures and audio recordings. Similarly, Oberman et al ( 2020 ) designed an auralization room for “virtual soundwalks” in three typologically unique cities (Graz, Zagreb, and Zadar), each with perceptible soundmarks (e.g., the Sea Organ in Zadar), using ambisonic audio (through loudspeakers) and 360° pictures on a screen.…”