Conceptual Transformations: From Urban Quiet Soundscapes to Acoustic Quality Spaces in Search of Urban Acoustic Comfort

Achieving environmental quietness is a common view in reducing noise annoyance and ensuring acoustic comfort. One of the main objectives is to create and protect "quiet" areas as defined in the Environmental Noise Directive. In this direction, quiet areas are thought to contribute to acoustic comfort. Scientific studies have shown that quiet areas are not only related to limit values but also to different factors such as natural elements, historical value, etc. This leads to the concept of acoustic quality space, a view that is inclusive of acoustic comfort. Acoustic quality spaces are important in providing acoustic comfort by adapting to urban life and enriching auditory experiences. In providing acoustic comfort, these experiences are needed as much as reducing the disturbances caused by environmental sounds and silencing the areas where necessary. For this reason, the concept of silence and acoustic quality space should be considered together to provide acoustic comfort that provides the auditory space necessary for the activities of urban users. From this point of view, the study examined which acoustic quality and quiet space features are effective in providing acoustic comfort conditions. The inclusiveness of these concepts and their relationship with each other are discussed with literature.