CREATION OF AN URBAN SOUNDSCAPE PILOT DATA BASE
2010 - 2011

Principle Investigator:
G. Papakonstantinou

Funding Body:
Research Committee, University of Thessaly

Description Link

 General approach

The research project aims at describing cities through their soundscapes and presenting this recording in a useable way, so that the “visitor” can form an “audio image” of the city and its inhabitants. The area of “Palea” in Volos was chosen for this pilot application.

Aims and Possible users 

The creationof a file with sounds from urban landscapes in Greece is an innovation and fills  actual needs of the professional audiovisual field.

Two categories of users exist who can promptly use such a file:

The existence of a database will offer the opportunity to constantly expand the project in various ways (either by recording during the 4 seasons at the same places, or by recording more places and describing the cities in greater detail, or even by recording more cities).

Description of the pilot application

The initial recording of the soundscape of the area of “Palea” in the city of Volos will include two sound units:

  1. General soundscapes, which describe the area at different times of the day and from different places. From these soundscapes, it would be desirable to get one or more time-lapse soundscapes describing life in the city in 24 hours.
  2. Specific sounds of audio architectural, planning and sociological interest (e.g. internal soundscapes of houses, courtyards, skylights etc in interesting neighbourhoods , crowded streets,or during special events).
  3. Walks around the area that people inhabit, which narrate their personal experiences and memories (walkscapes).

 

Sound recording:
J.Vogiatzis, Keenan Accaoui, Persa Miliou

Sound processing:
Nikos Vamvakas

IT Engineer:
G.Kalaouzis

Coordination:
Ifigeneia Charatsi

Technical Assistance:
Eleni Pispiri

External Collaborator:
Elektra Venaki