Abstract
According to European Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC, 25 June 2002), acoustical issues in urban planning are mostly treated in term of loudness. However, timbre of urban sound sources, including their spectral features but not only, can affect our daily life due to auditory preferences. Social studies identify the sound of water as one of the most enjoyable sounds by humans and laboratory experiments demonstrate that testers prefer soft types of water sounds, with low frequency contents and low flow rates, such as natural stream and fountain. Recent surveys acknowledge fountains as acoustical urban elements, focusing on sound pressure level and spectrum analysis. In this paper, we will discuss observations made in Rome (e.g., Capitoline Hill) in 2015 and recently in Brussels, that suggest that fountain sounds may change habits and paths of passers-by. We will then present first findings from statistical analysis of the audio samples collected in situ, in an attempt to identify attributes of timbre that are responsible for shifted habits.
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