THE INFLUENCE OF URBAN PARK ON SHAPING THE PERCEPTION OF SOUNDSCAPE: CASE STUDY OF PUTROE PHANG PARK IN BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA

Urban parks play a vital role in enhancing the quality of life in cities by providing serene, healthy natural environments. Among their numerous benefits, urban parks significantly influence the auditory experience of visitors. This study investigates the impact of landscape elements within urban parks on perceived soundscapes, focusing on Putroe Phang Park, one of the largest urban parks in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Our methodology combines landscape observations, soundwalk data collection, visitor questionnaires, and sound measurements, including Sound Pressure Level (SPL) and Ambisonic recordings. We used a UNI-T UT sound level meter and a Zoom H1N digital audio recorder for data collection. The SPL distribution within the park was visualized using contour maps generated using Surfer software (version 23.3.202). Our findings reveal that while some landscape elements contribute positively to a pleasant soundscape, others, notably traffic noise, detract from the overall experience. However, the park’s Leq remained between 58 and 68dB(A), below the upper threshold of 70 dB(A). Our findings suggest that enhancing the diversity and quality of landscape elements can mitigate undesirable sounds and improve the park’s auditory environment.