Why sounds and smells are as vital to cities as the sights

Researchers like Howes are looking at how nonvisual information affects a city's character. They are fighting what they see as a limiting visual bias in urban planning using methods like sound walks and smell maps.

Ouz ner says that closing your eyes for 10 minutes gives you a different feeling about a place.

ner has organized sound walks in Istanbul for many years. He was surprised to learn that a wave organ could be built to amplify the sounds of the sea and that vegetation could be planted to reduce traffic noise.

ner says that local officials are interested in his findings but have not yet incorporated them into urban plans. Quiet areas identified by citizens using a free mobile app have been included in the city's latest noise action plan. The EU law obligates the city to protect these spaces.

A research associate at University College London explains how quiet areas are identified. This is the first example of a policy driven by perception.

Aletta is helping to create prediction models for how people will respond to various acoustic environments by gathering recorded soundscapes, both vibrant and tranquil, into a database and then testing the neural and Physiological reactions they elicit. These kinds of tools are needed to create a framework for making sure that multisensory elements are included in the design criteria for cities.

A subject of debate within the field is how to determine how people respond to different environments. Howes is working with his colleagues to develop a set of best practices for sensory design in public spaces. Wearables are being used to track heart rate variability as a proxy for emotional responses to sensory experiences. The GoGreen Routes project is studying how nature can be integrated into urban spaces to improve both human and environmental health.