“One problem with decibel measurement is that it does not differentiate between “negative” and “positive” sounds. Take the sounds made by a fountain in a town square, happy children in a playground or the cheerful toot of the Manchester tram – any one of which might exceed permitted sound levels. Increasingly, researchers have been pressing for these positive sounds to be considered within urban design alongside more traditional noise-control approaches.”

New Scientist article

A student of Kevin Lynch and Professor of Urban Studies at UC Berkeley, Michael Southsworth created experience maps of 1960 Boston’s sonic environment. Unlike Schafer, Southworth did not try to describe characteristic sounds for an urban place, but was mainly interested in the strength of the relationship between soundscape and place. This links back to Lynch’s idea of imagibility, the extent to which an urban environment can form a concise mental image.

Sam Auinger and Reinhard Braun (steirischer herbst, Graz) / Image from the Paneldiscussion (Stefanie Schulte Strathaus (Arsenal, Berlin), Mike Sperlinger (LUX, London), Josef Dabernig (Secession, Wien), Alexander Horwath (Filmmuseum, Wien))

Link

The Austrian Film Museum will be the illustrous setting for the premiere of our last film on Sept. 14th. Sam Auinger will present the film in the following panel discussion with Stefanie Schulte-Strathaus (Arsenal, Berlin), Mike Sperlinger (LUX, London), Josef Dabernig (Secession, Wien), Alexander Horwath (Filmmuseum, Wien), moderated by Reinhard Braun (steirischer herbst, Graz).