Sounds

Woman smelling flowers at a street stand

Sensory Urbanism Fights ‘Visual Bias’ in Planning

Researchers are beginning to understand the effect of sounds, smells, and tastes in the urban experience.

June 20, 2022 - Technology Review

City Sounds

The Sounds of Cities: Three Aural Vignettes

Monocle's The Urbanist podcast explores urban acoustic ecology to unveil the sonic signature of the coronavirus pandemic, the Greek island of Corfu, and Vienna streetscapes.

August 25, 2020 - Monocle/The Urbanist

California Shelter-in-Place

Recording the Quiet of Cities During the Pandemic

The usual sounds of the city have subsided, replaced by birds and quiet that at times can be eery and unsettling.

May 25, 2020 - The New York Times

Scientists Pick up Seismic Vibrations from Human Transportation

For the first time, researchers were able to detect the vibrations created by human transportation systems.

November 1, 2014 - Popular Science

From Landscape to Soundscape in Urban Placemaking

Chuck Wolfe outlines the importance of soundscapes to cities past, present and future, and describes efforts to both document urban sounds and use sound as a planning tool.

March 7, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

A New Way to Listen to Cities

A new website offers a compelling way to understand cities through sound. It combines audio feeds from city police radios with ambient music.

April 28, 2011 - 99% Invisible

Mayor Suggests Broadcasting Bird Sounds

The mayor of the small town of Lancaster, California, has proposed broadcasting recordings of bird noises along one of the city's main streets to "make people happier".

January 31, 2011 - CBS

Designing Urban Areas to Hear the Sounds of the City

Cities make more sounds than just cars driving by or factories humming. Trevor Cox says we should embrace the subtle sounds of cities, and update our urban design to make sure we can.

August 3, 2010 - New Scientist

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