Soundscapes

The programme of this edition proposed a reflection on the sound dimension of landscapes, in all its declinations – sound, noise, music, voices, silences – and starting from the different cultural perspectives – ecology, landscape, garden art, architecture, philosophy, pedagogy, literature, cinema – around which soundscape studies have taken shape since the late 1960s.

We are facing an environmental emergency and humans are putting the non-human world under more and more pressure. Against this backdrop, composition and listening systems can provide ways of taking heed of living organisms, as well as effective tools for identifying and gauging the effects of the climate crisis on biodiversity. Meanwhile, when it comes to interventions in specific places, there is both theoretical and practical evidence to show that exploring soundscapes through acoustic projects, performances and installations paves the way to the development of a sensitive approach that can play a significant part in steering transformations and management of landscapes and gardens, not to mention urban environments.

At the same time, there are a whole host of notions that can no longer be neglected if we want to pursue a sustainable future. These include: awareness of the role of silence in evolution, animal behaviour and ecology; conservation of specific soundscapes; protecting ecosystems from noise pollution; and creating more quiet places in urban areas.

The International Landscape Study Days were preceded on Friday 16 February by the online preview conference Sounds Wild and Broken. Listening beyond the surface with David George Haskell.