Sounds in the city: Applying the soundscape approach to urban noise management

Sounds in the City, led by Prof. Guastavino, brings together researchers, professionals who shape our cities and citizens, to look at urban sound from a novel, resource-oriented perspective and nourish creative solutions to make cities sound better. Sound plays a critical and complex role in the way we experience urban spaces. Today, cities treat urban sound as “noise”, an isolated nuisance that should be mitigated when problems arise. But sound can also support our well-being, orientation, focus, and our lasting memories of urban spaces - even the city as a whole (e.g. music, conversation, bird chirping, water sounds).

Soundscape is a new user-centered proactive approach reframing sound as a resource, in relation to other urban design considerations, from early conception to long-term use. It does away with the implicit assumption that all environmental sounds are negative. While soundscape has become well established in research, implementation in practice remains scarce. Ultimately, every city user deserves to live, work, play and relax in sound environments they find appropriate. Realizing this goal involves accounting for user perspectives, their activities, and the contexts in which sounds are experienced, all of which has implications for how “city makers” plan and design urban spaces.

The potential for discovery with Sounds in the City is only possible in the context of knowledge co-creation, using Montreal as a living laboratory for soundscape research. Our objectives are to render sound into accessible concepts for professionals who shape our cities and improve the quality of life of residents and visitors who will benefit from a better-managed city, where sound has been considered as part of their experience.