Sound cartography approaches to urban soundcape research: CitySounds and sites-of-respite in the CBD of Melbourne

This paper describes hvo related projects completed at SIAL Sound Studios at RMlT University. The first is the CitySounds project which was an interactive 30 AudioVisual Cartography environment holding a community soundscape survey. The aim of the project was to investigate attitudes and awareness to a range of sounds and acoustic environments in Melbourne's CBD. The virtual environment and survey a lso contained propositions for future acoustic design interventions, particularly for sites-of-respite. The second project describes a recently completed pilot study, seeking suitable Locations in Melboume's CBO for actual Sites-of-Respite, using a combination of sound recordings, studio analysis and spatial analysis. While research approaches have been informed by listener-centered interactive representational mapping, speculations are made on ft1ture research to be informed by performative mapping, particularly emotional mapping, to augment sound design interventions to recompose the homogeneity of the striated soundscape.