Sounds in the City has also ventured into indoor sound environments, partnering with two organizations to study, characterize, and provide recommendations for restaurant sound.
Much attention has been given to the problem of how loud restaurants can be. High restaurant sound levels have been identified as a culprit in contributing to fatigue, difficulty in social situations, and even affect the taste of the food.
While excessively noisy restaurants are a problem to be tackled, the sound ambiance of these spaces needs to also be considered. Sounds in the City began working with the ITHQ (Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec) in Montreal in 2015 to fine-tune their restaurant’s soundscape. This ongoing collaboration has paved the way for a new project with Saint-Gobain Research to look into the effect of sound environments on diners’ experiences.