News

SIS Faculty member received 2016 SSHRC Insight Development Grant

Published: 10 April 2017

Dr. Catherine Guastavino, Associate Professor and William Dawson Scholar, has received a 2016 SSHRC Insight Development Grant in collaboration with Ville de Montreal and Dumoulin Acoustics. Doctoral student Daniel Steele from the Multimodal Interaction Lab takes a leading role in the project. Visit sounds-in-the-city.org for more information.

 

Noise regulations in Montreal date back to their first adoption in 1976. Since then, an extensive body of academic literature has provided theoretical grounds for a new approach to urban noise called « soundscape » that offers great potential for shaping the future of urban noise management. The soundscape approach captures the idea that ‘appropriate’ sounds can be used to positive effect; it is a deviation from the traditional urban noise mitigation approach that aims to make the city less negative but not necessarily more positive. Traditionally, the field of soundscape research has focused on the perspective of ‘city users’, but we are extending that relationship to include and understand the role that ‘city makers’ play on the perception of urban sounds by city users. To advance these ideas, the Sounds in the City team has been assembled and comprises partners from McGill University, the City of Montreal, and the professional realm. The proposed research aims to position Montreal as a leader in urban noise management and soundscape by connecting research and practice.

 

A first workshop "Animating pedestrian zones in the sonic dimension » was held in November 2016. Read more about this event hosted by Catherine Guastavino and the Sounds in the City team during McGill Innovation week at http://bit.ly/2lPTYVQ

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