Sounding Brighton: Developing an Applied Soundscape Strategy

Abstract

This paper presents findings from Sounding Brighton, a project aimed at developing an applied soundscape strategy for Brighton & Hove, UK. Supported by the EU COST Action TD0804 “Soundscapes of European Cities and Landscapes,” the study involved a questionnaire survey completed by 354 residents aged 15 and older. The survey investigated noise annoyance, favourite outdoor locations, appropriate sounds for those locations, and demographics. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, five categories of favourite locations were identified (‘Beach & Seaside’, ‘City Park’, ‘Peri-Urban Recreation Area’, ‘My Space’, and ‘Downtown City’) as well as five recreational soundscape categories (‘Urban Nature’, ‘Distant Nature’, ‘Urban’, ‘Seaside’, and ‘Urban Beach’). A Chi-Square analysis revealed significant links between people’s social and recreational activities and their perception of appropriate sounds. The paper concludes by proposing the mapping of these location categories and the definition of acoustic objectives to guide an applied soundscape strategy for Brighton & Hove.