Factors that influence soundscapes in historical areas

This study is designed to reveal the soundscape characteristics of historical areas of Harbin, China, a typical Chinese city with fast urbanization process, through an intensive questionnaire survey and acoustic measurements. It was found that major sound sources vary considerably in different areas, with business-based historical areas featured by cries from street vendors, leisure-based and tourism-based historical areas by music, and residential historical areas by traffic noise. The average equivalent sound pressure level is between 62 and 70 dBA, and 53.6% of the interviewees are satisfied with the soundscape while 15.1% are not. With a given sound level, the interviewees have different levels of acoustic satisfaction at different sites featured by different sound sources. The acoustic satisfaction is, to a large extent, correlated with the subjective evaluation of temperature, humidity, wind environment as well as cultural identity, vitality, public sanitation, landscaping and green areas. Moreover, the interviewees' age, occupation, duration and purpose have significant effect on their acoustic satisfaction.