User Perception of Soundscapes of Urban Parks in Ankara

Abstract

The paper investigates user perceptions of soundscapes in five urban parks of Ankara, Turkey (Altinpark, Botanik Park, Gençlik Park, Güvenpark, Segmenler Park). Combining questionnaire surveys with sound level measurements, the study examined acoustic comfort, sound preferences, and their relationship to park characteristics and visitor expectations. Results show that natural sounds are preferred over artificial ones, while demographic variables such as age, gender, and education had no significant effect on acoustic comfort evaluations. The findings underline that soundscapes are strongly linked to the physical attributes of parks and user expectations. The study aims to raise awareness among planners and designers about the importance of integrating soundscape considerations into urban environmental quality and park design.