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Last updated on Jan 17, 2025
  1. All
  2. Sustainability
  3. Environmental Design

Your urban landscape project is plagued by noise pollution. How can you design for tranquility?

Creating a peaceful urban environment involves strategic planning to minimize noise pollution. Here's how you can design for tranquility:

  • Incorporate natural barriers: Use trees, shrubs, and green walls to absorb sound and reduce noise levels.

  • Use water features: Fountains and waterfalls can mask unwanted noise with soothing sounds.

  • Strategic placement of structures: Position buildings and amenities to block and deflect noise away from quiet areas.

What strategies have worked for your urban landscape projects?

Environmental Design Environmental Design

Environmental Design

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Last updated on Jan 17, 2025
  1. All
  2. Sustainability
  3. Environmental Design

Your urban landscape project is plagued by noise pollution. How can you design for tranquility?

Creating a peaceful urban environment involves strategic planning to minimize noise pollution. Here's how you can design for tranquility:

  • Incorporate natural barriers: Use trees, shrubs, and green walls to absorb sound and reduce noise levels.

  • Use water features: Fountains and waterfalls can mask unwanted noise with soothing sounds.

  • Strategic placement of structures: Position buildings and amenities to block and deflect noise away from quiet areas.

What strategies have worked for your urban landscape projects?

Add your perspective
Help others by sharing more (125 characters min.)
16 answers
  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Ammar S.
    • Report contribution

    Designing for tranquility in an urban landscape affected by noise pollution requires a multi-faceted approach. Start by incorporating natural sound barriers, such as dense vegetation and tree canopies, to absorb and deflect noise. Strategic placement of water features can mask unpleasant sounds with soothing ambient noise. Utilize sound-reflecting and sound-absorbing materials in infrastructure, such as acoustic walls and green roofs. Zoning can also help by placing quiet spaces away from noise sources. Engaging the community for input ensures the design aligns with their needs, creating a harmonious and functional urban retreat.

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  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Aasim Hameed Khan عاصم حميد خان

    Sustainability I ESG I Decarbonization I CCU+S I Carbon Credit I Carbon Modelling I Climate Change I Circular Economy I Strategic Planning I Asset and Facility Management I Operation and Project Management I Drive Change

    • Report contribution

    Designing a peaceful urban environment involves integrating strategic measures to minimize noise pollution through careful urban planning and design. Effective zoning separates noisy industrial or commercial areas from residential spaces, while green buffers such as parks and tree-lined corridors act as natural sound barriers. Incorporating sound-absorbing materials in building façades and designing noise-shielding structures like acoustic walls further mitigate disturbances. Promoting pedestrian-friendly zones, reducing vehicular traffic, and implementing quiet pavements also contribute to a tranquil atmosphere. Together, these strategies create urban spaces that prioritize comfort, well-being, and serenity for their inhabitants.

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    4
  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Fataneh Fatahi

    Sustainable Landscape & Environmental Designer | Climate Resilience & Smart Cities | Interested in Digitalization & Urban Planning | Researcher in Climate Resilient Cities

    • Report contribution

    The first step in reducing noise pollution is identifying its sources. Once the sources and intensity are determined, appropriate noise barriers can be implemented. Various strategies can effectively reduce noise perception, including the use of evergreen plants, which are more suitable than deciduous ones due to their year-round density. The arrangement of plants also plays a crucial role, with the isosceles triangle formation being the most effective for noise reduction. Additionally, green walls, vegetative barriers, and physical soundproof walls provide significant benefits. Using suitable materials in the area to minimize sound reflection and integrating water features can further contribute to a quieter environment.

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  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Dr Prachi Jain

    Sustainability Consultant & Intern Lawyer II PhD in Environmental Studies II Speaker II Strategist II Advisor

    • Report contribution

    A well-thought-out layout is crucial in minimizing noise pollution in urban landscapes. Positioning buildings, parks, and seating areas away from busy roads creates natural buffer zones, reducing exposure to traffic noise. Orienting structures strategically—such as placing commercial or service buildings between residential spaces and main roads—can act as sound shields, protecting quieter areas from constant background noise. Additionally, designing pedestrian pathways, playgrounds, and rest areas deeper into green spaces rather than along streets further enhances tranquillity. By integrating thoughtful spatial planning, urban projects can create pockets of peace amidst bustling city environments.

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  • Contributor profile photo
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    Essam Heikal

    Landscape Construction Associate Manager @ Hyde Park Developments Landscape Construction | Landscape Management | Softscape | Hardscape | Site Furniture | Kids' Equipment

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    Increase the number of trees with thin and large leaves and make the paths winding and with differences in level, Add a waterfall that matches the sounds made

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  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Rob Longley

    Rethinking the Future of Work, Sustainable Communities, Government Services | Sustainability | Going Remote First Newsletter | Coach | Consultant

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    Many noise barriers are just walls. They are ugly and they just reflect the sound. Plants and trees in general are great for dissipating sound. Try to leverage green space as much as possible. Beyond that, try to look for creative ways to buffer sound. Things like textured surfaces and even some artwork help reduce noise.

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  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Dan Storey

    Chief Executive Officer at CMDC Labs

    • Report contribution

    To design for tranquility in an urban landscape plagued by noise pollution, incorporate natural sound barriers such as dense vegetation, green walls, and strategically placed trees. These elements absorb and deflect noise while enhancing aesthetics and air quality. Additionally, use water features like fountains to create soothing ambient sounds that mask unwanted noise. Design the layout to include quiet zones with acoustic shielding and sound-dampening materials, ensuring a harmonious balance between functionality and peace.

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  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Richard Schrader, MBA, ALM, PMP

    Supply Chain Director | Inventory Management | Process Optimization | Six Sigma Blackbelt | Demand Planning and Forecasting | S&OP

    • Report contribution

    Design for tranquility by integrating noise-reducing elements like green buffers, water features, and sound-absorbing materials. Use trees, shrubs, and green walls to block and absorb noise. Position buildings to create quiet zones and use double-glazed windows. Incorporate water features like fountains to mask unwanted sounds with calming white noise. Encourage pedestrian-friendly layouts with setbacks from roads and sound barriers. Prioritize soft surfaces like grass, permeable pavements, and acoustic panels to minimize reverberation.

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    1
  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    TOOBA IFTIKHAR

    Gold Medalist | Urban Planner | GIS & Geospatial Analyst | GeoData Science Enthusiast | Driving Sustainable Urban Solutions

    • Report contribution

    To design urban tranquility amid noise pollution: Use layer dense vegetation like evergreens and shrubs as natural sound buffers. Integrate water features (e.g., gentle fountains) to mask noise with calming sounds. Position buildings or earth berms to shield quiet zones from noise sources. Use sound-absorbing materials (acoustic pavements, textured walls) in high-traffic areas. Zone spaces strategically, separating lively hubs from serene pockets with green buffers.

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  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Mohsen Shah

    PhD student || Green Infrastructure Researcher || Sustainable Urbanism || Blockchain Technology || Climate Change || Nature-based Solutions

    • Report contribution

    Designing for peace in a noisy urban landscape means working with the environment rather than against it, using thoughtful design to soften and redirect sound. Natural elements like dense tree canopies, layered vegetation, and green walls not only absorb noise but also create a calming, restorative atmosphere. Water features, such as fountains or cascading pools, introduce soothing sounds that mask urban clatter, transforming a chaotic space into a more peaceful retreat.

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