Waterscape and Soundscape in Sheffieldsoundscape-cost.org/...Waterscape_sheffield_JKang.pdf · • Waterscape + soundscape interactions – Added richness of spaces and city environment

Waterscape and Soundscape in Sheffield

Jian Kang, YiYing HaoSchool of Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK

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Nature, History, and Urban Form

• The city’s first settlement developed at the confluence of the Rivers Don and Sheaf, around the 12th century. With the role as a market town at this time, Sheffield have continued to be shaped by waterways to the present day.

• Since the middle ages, Sheffield’s access to abundant natural resources has made it an ideal centre for a thriving iron and steel industry.

• By the late 14th century Sheffield was famous for its metal knives and its role in this industry.

• By the late 18th century all available sites on the rivers were developed.

• In the 19th century, Sheffield became the principal location in Britain for large steel works.

SHEFFIELD

The map showing Sheffield in 1736 2

Rivers and the City12th CENTURY

• Rivers Don and SheafProduction and industry at the time of Sheffield’s first settlement 18th CENTURY

• Water Powered Mills along River Banks• The greatest concentration of over 100 water powered

sites in the UK • Dams• Produce maximum power to the numerous mills

19th CENTURY• Tinsley Canal • Connections for large steelworks

SHEFFIELD

1980sWith the decline of the Sheffield steel industry whereby the Rivers Don lost its traditional function and became a forgotten part of the city.TODAY It is essential that this reconnection with the rivers continues to be fostered and their role in the history of the city celebrated.

Rivers in Sheffield

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RegenerationSHEFFIELD

• Post war rebuilding saw the redevelopment of individual city sites as well as large scale civic planning and road development schemes, which resulted in the loss of much of the original grid street pattern.

• The decline of the steel industry in the 1980s further changed the character of the city blighting the urban landscape by leaving redundant industrial buildings and vacant sites.

• Major public realm improvements to the city centre with projects such as the pedestrianisation of Barker’s Pool and Tudor Square which have injected life back into the city centre in the 1990s.

The masterplan of Sheffield City Centre in 2000

Key Projects for RegenerationHeart of the CityNew Retail QuarterCity Hall / Barkers Pool / Leopold StreetStation / Sheaf SquareE-campus / Business AreaPark Hill FlatsOther Major ProjectsDevonshire GreenRiverside

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The Gold Route

Under the regeneration of the Sheffield City, waterscapes and squares were embedded into the city for its vibrancy with the respect of the history of Sheffield.

SHEFFIELD

1. Sheaf Square2. Howard Street and Hallam Garden3. Millennium Galleries and Winter Garden4. Millennium Square5. Peace Gardens6. Town Hall Square and Surrey Street7. Barkers Pool

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SHEFFIELD

Waterscape and the City

Among many other water-related schemes, such as hydropower...6

• SHEAF SQUARE

Diversity of Waterscapes

•HOWARD STREET AND HALLAM GARDEN

•MILLENNIUM SQUARE

•PEACE GARDENS

•BARKERS POOL

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SHEFFIELD

Waterscape and Soundscape

Receiver at 1m from water8

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Water

Twittering of birds

Bells of church

Music played on street

Bells or music from clock

Insect sounds

Surrounding speech

Music from stores

Pedestrian crossing

Children's shouting

Music from passenger cars

Passenger buses

Construction

Vehicle parking

Passenger cars

Favourite Neither favourite nor annoying Annoying

Based on 1000 samples,. Also, comparison between different countries

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SHEFFIELDBARKERS POOL

Change of soundscape when moving away from the water

1 m from source

4 m from source

9 m from source

19 m from source 10

Soundscape from water and other soundsfor studying masking effects……

SHEFFIELD

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Large Fountain in the Peace Gardens

PEACE GARDENS

SHEFFIELD

1 m from source

4 m from source

9 m from source

19 m from source Change of soundscape when moving away from the large fountain

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Soundscape map

SHEFFIELD

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SHEFFIELD

0 50 100 150 200 250

Wind

Birds

Lawn mower

Machinery

Surrounding speech

Children shouting

Digger machine

Building work

Traffic

Fountains

Frequency

First noticed sound Second noticed sound Third noticed sound

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Ball fountain in the Millennium Square

MILLENNIUM SQUARE

SHEFFIELD

The sounds from the ball fountains are hardly to be heard…Contrary to the Peace Gardens nearby, the square is much more quiet.15

The fountain in Howard Street

HOWARD STREET

SHEFFIELD

Recording point is one meter from the sound source.

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1. Steel barrier2. Medium cascade3-6. Big fountain

(1,3,5,10m)7. Small cascade L18. Small cascade L3

SHEAF SQUARE

SHEFFIELD

The Waterscape in the Sheaf Square 17

Water Diversity

Steel Barrier

Steel BarrierMedium Cascade

Medium Cascade

Small CascadeL3

Small CascadeL3

Big Fountain

Big fountain

SHEFFIELD

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Big Fountain

1 m from source 19 m from source10 m from source4 m from source

SHEFFIELD

Change of soundscape when moving away from the large fountain

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Steel Barrier

Traffic Noise

Traffic Noise1 m from road

1 m from source

BehindSteel Barrier

BehindSteel Barrier 20

Psychoacoustics Loudness vs. Time

Barkers Pool Howard Street Peace Gardens

Medium Cascade Steel Barrier Big Fountain

Small Cascade(L1)

Small Cascade(L3)

Traffic Noise

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Psychoacoustics Roughness vs. Time

Barkers Pool Howard Street Peace Gardens

Medium Cascade Steel Barrier Big Fountain

Small Cascade(L1)

Small Cascade(L3)

Traffic Noise22

Psychoacoustics Sharpness vs. Time

Barkers Pool Howard Street

Peace Gardens

Medium Cascade Steel Barrier Big Fountain

Small Cascade(L1)

Small Cascade(L3)

Traffic Noise

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Fluctuation Strength vs. TimePsychoacoustics

Barkers Pool Howard Street Peace Gardens

Steel BarrierMedium Cascade Big Fountain

Small Cascade(L3)

Small Cascade(L1)

Traffic Noise

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Psychoacoustic indices

Water

Fluctuation Strength vacil

Loudness (FFT / ISO 532 B) soneGF

Roughness

asper

Sharpness (FFT / ISO 532 B, Aures) acum

Barkers Pool 0.0125 21.8 2.46 2.50

Howard Street 0.0198 12.8 2.14 2.91

Peace Gardens 0.00829 30.4 2.80 4.32

Medium Cascade 0.0363 24.6 2.70 3.26

Steel Barrier 0.0110 19.9 2.45 2.67

Big Fountain 0.0111 25.2 2.67 3.29

Small Cascade(L1) 0.00956 24.2 2.64 3.29

Small Cascade(L3) 0.0189 22.5 2.45 3.17

Traffic Noise 0.0112 24.6 2.69 2.17

Psychoacoustics

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FFT vs. TimePsychoacoustics

Barkers Pool Howard Street

Steel Barrier

Small Cascade(L1)

Bakers Pool Howard Street Peace Gardens

Medium Cascade Steel Barrier Big Fountain

Small Cascade (L1) Small Cascade (L3) Traffic

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Concluding Remarks

• Waterscape + soundscape interactions– Added richness of spaces and city environment– Soundmarks, cultural values– Enhanced quality

• Function of reducing noise annoyance• Diversity of water soundscapes• Research (on-going)

– Masking (attention and energetic), with Korea team– Music information retrieval (MIR) techniques– Soundscape structures

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Acknowledgements

– H Yang and M Yang for helping with the recording and calculation

– Other team members for carrying out the survey– Collaboration work on masking with Korean team

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