Soundwalking in virtual urban ambiances. Applying Game Engine Technologies in soundscape study

Abstract

Aim of the research is to test the potentialities and limits of different technologies able to describe, in a multimodal and interactive manner, the sensory peculiarities of the urban environment. Specifically the objective is to identify operational tools able to extend the toolbox employed by architects and urban planners in representing the urban environment, that is mainly focused on providing visual outcomes, by introducing a reflection on the qualitative aspects of the sonic environment. The urban district of the Politecnico di Milano is used as testing ground of the technologies employed, specifically the game engine Unity® and the online location-based service Google Earth. The article firstly introduces the theoretical context in which the research is situated by presenting the terms of soundscape and soundwalk and providing a focus on the currently representation media used to describe the sonic environment; then the role of the virtual environments, as supports for providing further simulations, and not only as means for providing visual outcomes, will be approached; finally will be presented the outcomes obtained by the technologies employed and limits, potentialities and future applications will be highlighted. 2