Hot topics in soundscapes

Tools and specifications for successful soundscape design

The Andringa/Axelsson workshop group

Edinburgh, 30 October 2009

Different users

• There are different needs for different users in regard of tools for soundscape design

• Three categories of users:– Planners– Consultants– The general public

Edinburgh, 30 October 2009

Planners

• Planners need different tools at different stages in the planning process:– Master plan– Detail plan for development of an area– Evaluation of results

Edinburgh, 30 October 2009

Planners

• For the master plan the planner needs categories of soundscapes, organised according to the intended use of an area and the kind of sounds that may be heard.

• The categories may be used in a geographic information system (GIS) to provide an overview of a geographic region.

Edinburgh, 30 October 2009

Planners

• In a detail plan for the development of a local area the planner needs a screening tool to see when and where soundscape can be of use.

• The planner needs tools for determining the acoustic objectives for the area, and tools for design (what physical aspects to modify in order to meet the acoustic objectives).

Edinburgh, 30 October 2009

Consultants

• The consultants need:– High quality survey techniques– Simulation tools (improved noise maps involving

listening to simulated soundscapes)– Tools for measuring peoples perceptions of

soundscapes– Reliable tools that describe what sounds people

hear at a place– Models/tools to predict people’s perceptions of

planned soundscapes

Edinburgh, 30 October 2009

General public

• The general public may need procedures for how to raise the awareness of soundscapes they are exposed to. This may include a need to manage the soundscape more effectively or to complain about a negative impact.

• The tool must enable the users to structure their experiences of the soundscape in order to provide information to decision makers.

Edinburgh, 30 October 2009

How to market soundscape

• In order to market soundscape we need high profiled successful cases showing how soundscapeing can be applied.

• Successful cases may be presented in the soundscape conference in Stockholm, September 2010.

Edinburgh, 30 October 2009

Comments from Östen Axelsson

• It is harder to sell or market a service than a product, and even harder to sell a concept.

• Marketing require that what is sold is concrete to the buyer in order to provide proofs of its benefits.

• The consumer never buys a product per se, but the fulfilment of a need.

• Products that do not meet needs are useless.

Edinburgh, 30 October 2009