The Effect of Soundscape on Sense of Place for Residential Historical and Cultural Areas: A Case Study of Taiyuan, China

A soundscape carries the culture and memories of historical and cultural areas, capable of evoking people’s emotions towards a place. This paper aims to explore the influence of the soundscape on the sense of place in historical and cultural areas using a mixed-method approach. Conducting on-site measurements, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews in four areas in Taiyuan, China, this research utilized structural equation modeling and grounded theory for analysis. Research findings: Firstly, the soundwalk method identified 11 categories of soundscapes and the main sources of noise in residential areas were traffic sounds and commercial sounds. Secondly, residents showed the highest preference for natural sounds and traditional activity sounds. Preferences for activities’ sounds and traditional sounds, along with the perceived frequency of daily life sounds, entertainment activities’ sounds, and natural sounds were positively associated with the sense of place, while the perceived frequency of commercial sounds, traffic sounds, and pet sounds was negatively associated. Lastly, from the grounded theory, this research showed that traditional sounds effectively enhanced residents’ sense of place by triggering memories, embodying culture, and connecting emotions. Daily life sounds linked residents’ lives and prompted visions, while local dialects evoked emotion and culture. Activities’ sounds served as lubricants for the place, primarily triggering residents’ sense of place from a lifestyle and emotional connection.