In an interesting but somewhat obviously biased New Statesman article,
the marketing team at audio-engineering firm Biamp have collected a few interesting examples of how architectural acoustics and urban-scale soundscape design affect mood. They mention, for example, the stressful effects of sustained noise on blood pressure, as well as a reported 15% drop in the crime rate in Lancaster, California, following the installation of a birdsong-based soundscape in the downtown area.
There’s even a way you can try this yourself: if your Monday morning is proving particularly challenging
(aren’t they all?), give this soothing soundtrack a try. It’s an experimental soundscape composed for the Glasgow Airport, apparently meant to reduce stress, but with the unexpected side-effect of putting travelers in the mood to shop:
What you’re listening to now is a generative sound installation that
Glasgow Airport trialled in its departures terminal–the scheme was put
in place to try to sooth passengers in a potentially stressful
environment. In this case researchers found that travelers admitted to
feeling more relaxed, even in cases where they hadn’t realized the
soundscape was playing. And perhaps more surprisingly, retailers noticed
an uplift in sales during the trial, with some periods seeing an
increase of nearly 10 per cent in passenger spending.
Just don’t blame us if you fall asleep at your desk, after an epic Amazon binge.
[@LondonSounds via Studio-X NYC; image courtesy of Getty]
