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From the soundscape to the architectural

redevelopment of an outdoor public space
CONFERENCE PAPER SEPTEMBER 2014

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Francesco Asdrubali

Giorgio Baldinelli

Universit Degli Studi Roma Tre

Universit degli Studi di Perugia

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Brigitte Schulte-Fortkamp

Francesco DAlessandro

Technische Universitt Berlin

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Retrieved on: 27 December 2015

From the soundscape to the architectural

redevelopment of an outdoor public space
Francesco Asdrubali, Francesco DAlessandro, Giorgio Baldinelli
Department of Engineering, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.

Brigitte Schulte-Fortkamp
Institute of Fluid Mechanics and Engineering Acoustics, Technische Universitt Berlin, Berlin,
Germany.
Summary
The historic urban centers often undergo redevelopment, restoration and enhancement activities
aimed at the preservation of the historical and artistic heritage and at the improvement of the
citizens quality of life. Usually these interventions are mainly focused on architecture and urban
planning, favoring the visual appearance and not considering adequately the multidimensionality
of the environment perception, not least the sound environment. For this reason, the choice to
adopt the "Soundscape Approach" in the design is linked to the desire of adding a significant
contribution to the regeneration of urban areas, in order to make them more enjoyable and to meet
the needs of all the people who really and in different ways "live" the area (dwellers, storekeepers,
tourists and night lifers). The case study of the present paper is located in the historical center of
Perugia, in Italy. The acoustic analysis was performed through binaural recordings and
soundwalks involving residents of the area, in order to obtain respectively objective and subjective
evaluations of the soundscape. After this stage, Piazza Danti, a small square located in the very
heart of the historical center, was chosen as the project area. This decision was taken together with
the Municipality of Perugia since there are several problems afflicting the square, such as difficult
routes for motorists, lack of urban design and, above all, nightlife noise. A comprehensive
historical and architectural survey of the square allowed to understand all its morphological and
functional characteristics, while a noise monitoring showed night noise levels significantly higher
(even 30 dBA) than the law limits. These aspects guided the renovation project of the square: a
particular focus was put on the interaction between the architectural and the soundscape design, in
order to enrich the square with new sounds, while reducing some noise issues considered highly
annoying by part of the citizens.
PACS no. 43.50.Qp, 43.50.Rq, 43.66.Pn

1.

Introduction1

The redevelopment of a square mainly involves

returning to the place its values and promoting the
different uses, even considering the most modern
ways of living the city. The square is the place
where people speak, exchange ideas and goods,
meet and manifest, where shows and events are
staged; it is the crossroads of paths along which
the story is remembered, the culture of the area is
layered, the citizenship is built.
The historic urban centers are often the subject of
redevelopment, restoration and enhancement,
aimed at the preservation of the historical and
1

(c) European Acoustics Association

artistic heritage and at the improvement of the

quality of the citizens life. These interventions
consist usually of architectural and urban planning
that favor the visual appearance but do not
adequately consider the multidimensionality of
perception of the environment, not least the sound
context, an essential component of the urban
landscape.
At the legislative level environmental noise is
regulated through redevelopment plans in order to
control and reduce its effects on human health.
This approach is without doubt correct and
necessary when noise can be detrimental to health
[1], but in other cases a wider approach aiming at
exploring and, in case of urban and architectural
planning, designing soundscapes can be profitably
applied.

FORUM ACUSTICUM 2014

Asdrubali, DAlessandro, Baldinelli, Schulte-Fortkamp:
712 September, Krakow
From the soundscape to the architectural redevelopment of an outdoor public space

Several methodologies for soundscape design have

been proposed so far [[2], [3], [4], [5]], but, since
the soundscape is strictly linked to the activities
and the functions that are (or are planned to be)
present in a place and to the expectations of the
users (variable in space and time), general
guidelines are hard to be provided. What is
important is the involvement in the urban planning
(including the soundscape planning) of all the
stakeholders through a participatory process [6].

2.

Evaluation of the soundscape of the

historic center of Perugia

The first stage of the work was devoted to the

evaluation of the soundscape of the historical
center of Perugia, in order to identify one area for
its architectural and acoustic redevelopment. This
activity was performed by means of a soundwalk;
the path was selected through a participation
process with the Municipality of Perugia (Figure
1).
The soundwalk was performed in December in a
warm (average temperature 12 C) sunny Friday
morning from 10:00 to 13:30, and it was organized
with two groups of six people, chosen on the
condition that all of them were resident in Perugia
and local experts [6], led by two operators.
The two groups followed the path in opposite
directions. This had some influence on the results,
so the average results of the two groups are
reported in the paper. The only discrepancies were
found at P5 (Piazza Cavallotti), because of the
presence of a bus at the stop during one session;
however, this aspect will not be further
investigated in the paper.
During the walk the participants were asked to
stop in six sites with different characteristics. A
short description of each site is provided:
P1 Giardini Carducci: panoramic gardens
offering one of the most fascinating views of
the city; presence of a green area with benches
and temporary child games.
P2 Corso Vannucci: the most important
pedestrian street of the city, characterized by a
strong vitality and dynamism and by the
presence of different types of activities: bars,
theaters, shops and boutiques of any kind.
P3 Piazza Matteotti: small square built on an
artificial terrace hosting many commercial
activities and the direct access to the elevator
that connects to the Minimetro station and to
the city market.
P4 Piazza IV Novembre: monumental center of
the city, located at the end of Corso Vannucci,

surrounded by elegant and interesting

buildings: on one side the Cathedral of San
Lorenzo and on the opposite the Palace of
Priori, in the middle the wonderful Fontana
Maggiore.
P5 Piazza Cavallotti: a small square frequented
especially by young people for the presence in
the vicinity of the University Campus. It hosts
a bus stop.
P6 Piazza Fortebraccio: small square
characterized by a strong presence of the urban
traffic (cars and buses). The building of the
University for Foreigners, a small green area
and a basketball court overlook here.

Figure 1. Path and sites selected for the soundwalk in

the historical centre of Perugia.

In each location, along the chosen path, the

participants were requested to examine the local
soundscape writing down, in situ, their
impressions and assessments on an evaluation
sheet. The items of the evaluation sheet were
selected on the basis of those used in [7][8], [9].
The participants were asked to give their
judgments on each attribute (such as subjective
loudness, annoyance, pleasantness, relaxation,
vibrancy, quietness) crossing out their choice on
Likert five-point rating scales. In addition, the
participants were requested, with the open-ended
question What goes into your mind, to write
down the feelings they felt during their presence,
as well as the sound sources and soundmarks they
were able to recognize there.

FORUM ACUSTICUM 2014

Asdrubali, DAlessandro, Baldinelli, Schulte-Fortkamp:
712 September, Krakow
From the soundscape to the architectural redevelopment of an outdoor public space

In the meantime, one of the two operators carried

out recordings three minutes long, using a mobile
frontend with a binaural headset (Head Acoustics
MHS III). Both the measurements and the
participants hearings were executed with a fixed
orientation and with a fixed position; the
participants had to stay in silence during the three
minutes focusing on the sounds of the
environment and they had not a deadline to fill in
the questionnaire. In addition, panorama-photos
were taken by the second operator in order to have
an image of what the participants were looking at
during their hearing.

The elaboration of results obtained from the field

survey was developed in three stages: the first
concerning the analysis of the subjective
assessments (both for the first and for the second
group) and their subsequent comparison, the
second concerning the analysis of the objective
assessments (psychoacoustic parameters, SPL
measures, analysis of the spectrograms, acoustic
zoning limits) obtained by the binaural recordings,
the third concerning the comparison between the
results derived by the previous two phases. For
brevity sake, only some results are reported.
Figure 2 summarizes the results of the
questionnaires.

Not Loud / Loud

5

Boring/Vibrant

Not
disturbed/Disturbed
P1.Giardini Carducci

P2.Corso Vanucci
P3.Piazza Matteotti

P4.Piazza IV Novembre
P5.Piazza Cavallotti
P6.Piazza Braccio Fortebraccio

Quiet/Chaotic

Unpleasant/Pleasant

Stressful/Relaxing

Figure 2. Results of the questionnaires in the six locations (the black dashed line represents the neutral judgement).

The sound sources indicated by the participants

were collected in three main categories
(mechanical, human and nature): the results are
reported in Figure 3.
Table I reports the acoustics (A-weighted sound
pressure level LAeq and spectrum centre of gravity
G) and psychoacoustic (Loudness N, Sharpness S
and Roughness R) parameters measured in the six
locations: the results are expressed as average of
the left and right channels in both the soundwalks.
The participants feedbacks as written down in the
open-ended question What goes through your
mind? were also taken into account and
summarized in keywords to create a tag cloud.
Examples related to the location Giardini Carducci
and Piazza Fortebraccio are reported respectively
in Figure 4 and 5, together with the spectral
analysis and the individuation of specific sound
events.

Table I. Acoustic and psychoacoustic parameters

measured during the soundwalks.
Locations
P1.Giardini
Carducci
P2.Corso
Vannucci
P3.Piazza
Matteotti
P4.Piazza IV
Novembre
P5.Piazza
Cavallotti
P6.Piazza
Fortebraccio

LAeq
N
S
R
G
[dB(A)] [sone] [acum] [asper] [Hertz]
54.6

9.98

1021.0 0.0221

109.2

59.9

13.15

1028.5 0.0283

99.6

62.0

15.05

1053.6 0.0293

119.0

63.9

16.9

1266.3 0.0282

133.4

64.5

15.7

1198.7 0.0280

183.9

68.0

17.95

1211.2 0.0303

172.5

The results of the investigation can be summarized

in the following assumptions:
as expected, the quietest, most relaxing and less
annoying location is Giardini Carducci, where
the lowest SPL were recorded and natural
sources constitute an important feature;

FORUM ACUSTICUM 2014

Asdrubali, DAlessandro, Baldinelli, Schulte-Fortkamp:
712 September, Krakow
From the soundscape to the architectural redevelopment of an outdoor public space

100%

90%
26.0%

35.3%
80%

38.7%
46.8%

49.0%
56.5%

70%

60%

Mechanical

50%
53.0%

Human

33.7%

Nature

56.3%

40%

30%

39.5%

47.0%
43.5%

20%
27.7%
21.0%

10%

17.0%

11.5%
6.3%

0%
P1.Giardini Carducci

P2.Corso Vanucci

P3.Piazza Matteotti

P4.Piazza IV
Novembre

P5.Piazza Cavallotti

P6.Piazza Braccio
Fortebraccio

Figure 3. Categories of the sound sources.

sources (such as people walking or talking,

sounds from the shops or bars, street music);
Piazza Fortebraccio is assessed as the square
with the highest SPL and loudness value
(generated mainly by mechanic sources), with
the highest subjective loudness and annoyance
level and with the lowest pleasantness level.

3.
Figure 4. Tag cloud and spectrum (FFT: 4096, 50%
overlapping, Hanning) at Giardini Carducci.

Figure 5. Tag cloud and spectrum (FFT: 4096, 50%

overlapping, Hanning) at Piazza Fortebraccio.

Corso Vannucci and Piazza IV Novembre are

the most pleasant and vibrant locations, despite
sound pressure levels reaching 64 dB(A): this
is mainly due to the limited presence of
mechanical sources in comparison to human

Case study: Piazza Danti

Piazza Danti was chosen as the project location

inside the area of Perugia historic center. Although
this square does not constitute one of the six
locations where binaural recordings were made, it
is inserted along the previously described
soundwalk path.
The selection was guided by the outcomes of the
project Magica Bula, realized by Municipality
of Perugia, aimed at defining planning strategies
and interventions to improve the liveability of the
historic center of Perugia through the opinion of
the citizens, divided into the three main categories
- residents, merchants and students / young
people. The main objective was to investigate and
understand the needs, opinions and judgments of
those who live every day in the area, the major
issues related to the livability and the use of public
space, as a physical place where anyone has the
right to move.
For the purpose of this work, the most interesting
issues that emerged during the focus groups on the
liveability and use of public space were:

FORUM ACUSTICUM 2014

Asdrubali, DAlessandro, Baldinelli, Schulte-Fortkamp:
712 September, Krakow
From the soundscape to the architectural redevelopment of an outdoor public space

1. noises at night, especially in summer, due to

the presence of bars and shops;
2. difficult routes for the motorists, mainly in the
evening and night hours in summer and on
holidays, when the square is crowded;
3. poor utilization of public space and lack of
urban dcor;
4. lack of attention to the secondary roads of the
centre: poorly lit alleys become the scene of
drug dealing and vandalism.
As far as the description of Piazza Danti, the
square has a surface-area of about 1400 square
meters, it is characterized by an uneven triangular
shape and it is sited in the northern part of the
historic center (Figure 6).
The historic center, including also Piazza Danti, is
a restricted traffic zone; the square has only one
entrance, one that comes from Piazza IV
Novembre and it is a one-way driveway, but it can
be travelled in the opposite direction only by
vehicles of public service.
The buildings surrounding Piazza Danti on its
three sides differ for their intended use and for
their state of repair of their faades:
the Cathedral of Perugia occupies the west side
of the square;
the Palazzo Conestabile is located at the east
side; it hosts commercial activities at the
ground floor (shops, bars, clubs, etc.) and
houses and offices at upper floors;
the north side is occupied by the Turreno
Theatre (now closed) and by shops and bars at
the ground floor.
During spring and summer the bars are equipped
with outdoor tables and umbrellas. Another
occupation of public land is reserved to temporary
markets and is located on the west side of the
square.

The historic analysis allowed to investigate the

morphological and functional evolution of the
square. The market appeared as a particularly
significant function (for bread before and for straw
later), which featured the area until it was moved
to Piazza IV Novembre. Today, this activity is
revived on a smaller scale and in an inadequate
space.
The architectural survey allowed to capture all
those characters of the square and surrounding
buildings (planimetric, entrances on the ground
floors, buildings height, architectural details,
presence of street furniture, etc.) and offered an
important starting point for orientating the
redevelopment.
The acoustic survey was performed by means of a
measurement campaign with a sound level meter
(01 dB dB4) installed in a box in Piazza Danti
during a late spring weekend. The results are
reported in Table II and Figure 7.
Table II. A-weighted SPL.
Period
Friday 18:00 pm 22:00 pm
Saturday 06:00 am 22:00 pm
Friday 22:00 pm Saturday 06:00 am
Nighttime
Saturday 22:00 pm Sunday 03:00 am
Daytime

LAeq
(dB)
62.4
63.3
74.8
77.5

Results show how the complaints expressed in the

project Magica Bula are legitimate: during the
night, especially between 11 pm and 3 am, there is
a quite constant (see Figure 6, L 1 and L90 are very
close) SPL equal to 75-78 dB(A) generated by the
voices of the people attending the bars and clubs
of the square. The law limit for the area in the
night period (10 pm 6 am) is 50 dB(A). Hence,
the need to mediate between the different needs of
those who "live" the square has provided an
additional input for the design.

Figure 6. Aerial image of the historic centre of Perugia (right) and zoom of Piazza Danti with indication s of streets.

FORUM ACUSTICUM 2014

Asdrubali, DAlessandro, Baldinelli, Schulte-Fortkamp:
712 September, Krakow
From the soundscape to the architectural redevelopment of an outdoor public space

Figure 7. L90 (blue line), L50 (red line) and L1 (green line) trend in dB(A).

Results show how the complaints expressed in the

project Magica Bula are legitimate: during the
night, especially between 11 pm and 3 am, there is
a quite constant (see Figure 6, L 1 and L90 are very
close) SPL equal to 75-78 dB(A) generated by the
voices of the people attending the bars and clubs
of the square. The law limit for the area in the
night period (10 pm 6 am) is 50 dB(A). Hence,
the need to mediate between the different needs of
those who "live" the square has provided an
additional input for the design.

4.

Redevelopment of the square

Intervention strategies were defined starting from

the identification of constraints to be respected
and then defining the objectives to be pursued
correlated with the suggestions. The constraints
for the design procedure are the outcomes of the
Magica Bula project, already introduced in
section 3, while the strategies are following
reported:
design of a new configuration of the square
according to the destinations, design of the
system of the street furniture and resting
places;
integration of the current soundscape with new
sounds according to the new function of the
square;
protection of the residents from unwanted
sounds (at night).
Under the idea "Pushing the limits, Creating
opportunities" the square was divided into four
areas (Figure 8).

By means of the division into sub-areas, the

square expresses the most of its potential, with a
better organization of space to facilitate the
permeability of the site and to carry out the
functions, increasing opportunities for using, in
favor of a fluid identity. Only the covered and the
rest/relaxation area will be described in this paper.
4.1

Covered area

The idea of a covered square aims at solving the

problem of the noise, especially at night, caused
by the activities in the square itself, which are
concentrated mainly on the east front.
The design solution was directed towards the
installation of a translucent cover, lightweight and
flexible, consisting of a series of umbrellas (made
of PMMA, Rw = 32-33 dB) whose height however
leaves space for view of the square in its limited
extension (Figure 9). The umbrellas will serve as
outdoor spaces for the bars, limiting the sound
propagation to the houses located at the upper
floors.
This proposal does not want to be a complete
solution for the nightlife noise issues of the area,
which can be obtained only with a combined effort
of policy actions and awareness campaigns.
4.2

Rest/relaxation area

This idea comes from the will of offering the users

of the square an area destined to pause and relax,
therefore, a quiet meeting place, in which people
are not forced to use the stairs which border the
facade of the cathedral as seats.
The seats placed in the rest/relax area have two
different designs.

FORUM ACUSTICUM 2014

Asdrubali, DAlessandro, Baldinelli, Schulte-Fortkamp:
712 September, Krakow
From the soundscape to the architectural redevelopment of an outdoor public space

Vehicular area
Covered area
Rest area
Market area

Figure 8. Proposed division of functions of the square.

Figure 9. Section of the covered area with the umbrellas.

The first (Figure 10), located in the closest area to

the driveway, have been shaped to include a sound
absorbing panel with the function of reducing the
sounds coming from vehicular traffic; the latter
(Figure 11) are the so called "audio islands: seats
but also places for reading, meditation or simply
for resting. They are equipped with sources that
transmit sounds deemed beneficial to this type of
activity, for instance natural sounds [7].
The area where they are inserted is bounded by a
mark on the ground that runs along the wooden
platform, including Feonic speakers [10] that, in
addition to the installation of the speakers in the
seats, recreate a quieter, more private and more

relaxing atmosphere by the reproduction of natural

sounds.

Figure 10. First type of benches in the rest area.

FORUM ACUSTICUM 2014

Asdrubali, DAlessandro, Baldinelli, Schulte-Fortkamp:
712 September, Krakow
From the soundscape to the architectural redevelopment of an outdoor public space

Figure 11. Audio islands.

5.

Conclusions

The results of the work and the applied

methodology show the role of integrated planning
and participatory processes, whose interaction
becomes of fundamental importance in the recent
urban development processes.
The acoustic design should be included in a more
general integrated management approach of urban
planning. The approach based on the soundscape
can be a good solution for the design of urban
areas, taking into accounts not only the numerical
constraints of legislation, but also the acoustic
comfort of the places, in order to improve the
quality of life of people living and using a place.
The intention is therefore to shift the focus of
urban planners and landscape architects towards a
participatory planning approach, aimed at
upgrading the spaces, at the enhancement of the
sound elements as a vehicle for socialization, and
at making urban sound spaces central elements of
the social and aesthetic quality of our cities.
Thus, the use of the Soundscape Approach can add
a new acoustic consciousness to the visual
dimension and the involvement of the citizens, and
represents the condition that a proper design of the
modern city must take into primary consideration.
Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank the Municipality
of Perugia for providing the outcomes of the
Magica Bula project and Francesca Catalucci
for her assistance during the work.
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