Getting a taste of the quiet we thought we wanted
2020 - 2023
MITACS Accelerate program with Quartier des spectacles
Quartier des spectacles
Montreal had a short-lasting 6dB reduction in sound levels in the downtown, which returned mostly to normal with the restarting of construction and traffic.
The periods of restrictions, lockdowns, and other measures following the onset of COVID-19 led to residents forming new associations and habits with home and public space use, driven partially by the drastic changes in their sound environments.
Sounds in the City engaged in a multi-method, multi-year study observing the COVID-19 auditory experience, including:
• Interviews (2020 and 2021)
• Diary study
• Questionnaires
• Sound level measurements
The findings of the first year of the pandemic showed us a very temporary 6 dB drop in overall sound levels during the first restriction. Sound levels largely returned to normal with the return of construction and traffic, yet public life suffered, and people were very conscious of the sounds that they missed. Public space use was transformed in many ways and saw many new uses while those who were working at home had to contend with new sound environments and new challenges during their workdays. This change was especially hard on families with children
For details, please contact: Daniel Steele, Edda Bild, Nicola di Croce