Urban soundscape preferences in relation to the function of a place: Case studies in Warsaw

Abstract The survey interviewed three hundred and nine people in five public places within Warsaw. The aim of the survey was to examine if people’s sound preferences are related to a place’s function and how these preferences differentiate. A further aim of this research was to gather users’ ideas for making city soundscapes more pleasant. The results showed that people generally prefer natural and human sounds, but do not like mechanical sounds; the importance of specific sounds are differentiated in relation to the function and history of a place. The main way to make urban places sound better and more appropriate to their function is to eliminate or reduce mechanical sounds (especially traffic), but individual methods depend on local conditions. The second way to make places sound better is to increase natural sounds and to make soundscapes more appropriate to their function – an increase in human sounds (mainly music).