Hedfors, Per
- Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
The ephemeral character of sounds within landscapes has significance for landscape preservation, protection, and design. Sound and soundscapes are characterised by their continuous shifts and long-term changes, which are quite different to any static view. This paper introduces a semantic characterisation of soundscapes for landscape analysis, and its translation into an application for smartphones, Soundscape Characterisation Tool (SCT), to expand and complement visual approaches in consultation and dialogue with stakeholders. The SCT is presented as a place-related and semantic tool and is discussed through a critical review of its practical application in three case studies linked to the Swedish Transport Administration planned works to expand either road or railway networks. Through the practical application of the SCT, this research advocates for the development of a new sonic vocabulary in spatial planning and design that seeks to engage people and make site-specific information available, understandable, and meaningful for all stakeholders involved.
Keywords
landscape analysis; landscape design; soundscapes; sonotopes; landscape characterisation; environmental impact assessment
Published in
Landscape Research
2026, volume: 51, number: 2, pages: 277-294
Publisher: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR AND FRANCIS LTD
SLU Authors
UKÄ Subject classification
Landscape Architecture
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2025.2562865
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/144989