Exploring relationships between soundscape and lightscape perception: A case study around the Colosseum and Fori Imperiali in Rome

Abstract

Recently, there has been a growing interest to implement a holistic approach to study perception in urban settings with historic value, in which environmental factors such as acoustics and lighting play an important role. However, little research has addressed sound and light in combination. In this exploratory field study, a soundscape and lightscape protocol was implemented to gather both objective and subjective data. In all, 46 people joined a group walk around the historical sites of Colosseum and Fori Imperiali in Rome. Participants assessed the soundscape and lightscape quality via questionnaire at four locations, immediately before and after the sunset in April 2021. Acoustic parameters (A-weighted equivalent sound level, loudness, sharpness, roughness) and lighting parameters (luminance, colour rendering index and correlated colour temperature) were measured at each location while participants filled in the questionnaire. While there was little variation in the acoustic parameters measured before and after the sunset walks, changes were observed in perceptual data about the soundscape. These outcomes reveal a potential effect of lighting conditions on soundscape perception.