Speaker
Description
Soundscape design is increasingly recognised in urban planning, yet its integration into design processes remains limited by methodological and technological gaps. This study presents the advancement of a participatory workflow for urban soundscape design, integrating field data, simulation, and perceptual evaluation.The work builds on two complementary contributions previously presented at Internoise 2025: the development and application of the City Ditty soundscape tool, and a methodological framework for biophilic soundscape design in urban green spaces. Here, both approaches are integrated into a unified process and applied to the redevelopment of a large urban park in Santiago, Chile.The workflow combines soundwalks, multidimensional data collection, interdisciplinary design, and predictive auralisation. Soundwalks were conducted with community members and design teams to characterise the existing environment and inform proposals. Prior to the design phase, participants engaged in a workshop with invited experts covering urban planning, sustainability, social dimensions, soundscape, and green space design. Four interdisciplinary teams—comprising students and professionals from acoustic engineering, environmental sciences, social sciences, and planning and design disciplines—then developed design proposals through a competition.These proposals were auralised using City Ditty, an interactive soundscape simulation tool developed at McGill University and adapted to the local context. For each team, five listening positions were auralised, resulting in 20 auralisations. These are currently being evaluated through 45-minute controlled listening tests in an acoustically treated room, using circumaural headphones and randomised playback. Evaluation includes ISO 12913-based perceptual assessment, overall soundscape assessment, and the Green Soundscape Index (GSI), alongside assessment by an interdisciplinary jury.This study demonstrates the integration of participatory processes, auralisation tools, and perceptual evaluation within a coherent workflow for sound-informed urban design.