Perception of urban park soundscape

Tse, Man Sze; Chau, Chi Kwan; Choy, Yat Sze; Tsui, Wai Keung; Chan, Chak Ngai; Tang, Shiu Keung

Abstract

A number of studies have been initiated to explore how to improve the soundscape quality in urban parks. However, good soundscape quality in parks cannot be provided without a thorough understanding of the complex relationships among sound, environment, and individuals. As acoustic comfort is considered to be an important outcome of soundscape quality, this study investigates the relative impacts of the factors influencing acoustic comfort evaluation by formulating a multivariate ordered logit model. This study also explores the inter-relationships among acoustic comfort evaluation, acceptability of the environment, and preference to stay in a park using a path model. A total of 595 valid responses were obtained from interview surveys administered in four parks in Hong Kong while objective sound measurements were carried out at the survey spots concurrently. The findings unveil that acoustic comfort evaluation, besides visual comfort evaluation of landscape, also plays an important role on users' acceptability of the urban park environment. Compared with all the studied acoustic related factors, acoustic comfort evaluation serves as a better proxy for park users' preference to stay in urban parks. Hearing the breeze will significantly increase the likelihood of individuals in giving high acoustic comfort evaluation. Conversely, hearing the sounds from heavy vehicles or sounds from bikes will significantly reduce the likelihood in giving a high acoustic evaluation.

Citation

Tse, M. S., Chau, C. K., Choy, Y. S., Tsui, W. K., Chan, C. N., & Tang, S. K. (2012). Perception of urban park soundscape. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 131(4), 2762-2771. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.3693644

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 16, 2012
• Online Publication Date: Apr 12, 2012
• Publication Date: 2012-04
• Deposit Date: Jul 11, 2022
• Journal: Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
• Print ISSN: 0001-4966
• Publisher: Acoustical Society of America
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 131
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 2762-2771
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1121/1.3693644
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4015977