Urban and suburban soundscapes 1: An evolving method

Many mixed-use urban and suburban communities in the United States struggle to achieve balances among people moving back into cities, commercial activities, and entertainment venues that many find desirable in live, learn, work, and play environments. Dynamic documentation, analysis, design strategies, codes, and enforcement activities are required to achieve this balance in rapidly evolving, sustainable cities, and towns. Active engagement of the full range of stakeholders in the acoustical communities in each case was essential in understanding and addressing the issues. Multiple meetings with the soundscape participants in organized, community fora, focus groups and discussions with individuals provided ways for all to understand the points-of-view of others as a building block to achieve consensus. Soundwalks with community members were used to understand the issues in situ. Subsequent soundwalks by the study team at multiple times of day and night allowed immersion of the team in the sounds and life of the cities and towns. Simple, but sophisticated, measurement and modeling of the soundscapes were necessary elements in the methods used. Case studies in the communities are presented of desires, issues, methods, analysis, and proposed solutions to a wide variety of acoustical issues encountered in the urban and suburban contexts.