The Acoustic Environment as a Public Domain

Abstract

Although I am not very fond of talking about noise only, and definitely do not equate soundscape with noise, questions concerning noise can serve as a pars pro toto, for it is through noise that people generally first become aware of the soundscape. Noise, properly used, is a good pedagogical way into the subject.

Summing up what has happened in the soundscape context internationally over the past seven years, since the memorable Banff conference of 1993, isn’t easy. My impression is that concern for a better acoustic environment has grown and is more widespread than before, with more conferences, more websites and artistic projects, more books. And yet—very few concrete results, at both national and international levels. We meet and present our new projects in yet another show-and-tell happening. This conference is no exception. The principal players are much the same as in 1993.

We are still more or less marking time. Is the reason to be found in the world around us or within ourselves?

I would like now to concentrate on a number of barriers, which prevent us from achieving visible results. What we have to do is to devise strategies for winning allies within these areas or, quite simply, break down the barriers in order to go further...