Ljud eller oljud? : planering av goda ljudmiljöer

Abstract: In our everyday life we are constantly affected by sound; at home, on our way to and from work, when taking a walk through the woods and when we sleep. In discussions about sound one often talk about noise and to what degree a certain noise disturbs us. The positive qualities of a sound and what sounds contribute to the experience of a good environment is rarely discussed. The question of sound and the quality of sound is given more attention through the expansion of Stockholm, the city is becoming both bigger and more crowded. This raises new questions concerning the planning of the city e.g. should the changes of the sound quality in a place be one of the aspects taken into consideration when planning new buildings, are there ways to improve the sound quality in new building projects? Can we even improve the quality of sound in existing places by simple means? I have chosen to study four different areas in Stockholm; Hötorget, Mariatorget, Berzeliipark and Norrmalmstorg. They represent busy spots where a variety of activities take place. I assume all these spots have different qualities of sound which change positively and negatively by activities and architecture. In my study I have used various methods to collect material to analyse the sounds in the different places I have looked more closely at. I have been particularly interested in finding the qualities which affect the experience of a sound positively e.g. an environment with a high level of traffic noise where people enjoy spending time have other sounds or visual impressions which take the focus away from the noise. The aim with this study is to find ways to identify the phenomenon which improve the quality of sound for the purpose of using this knowledge when planning new areas in the city.