Residential Contexts and Subjective Experiences of Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is a defining characteristic of urban environments. However, noise perception is inherently subjective, influenced by spatio-temporal contexts, people’s socio-cultural backgrounds and psychophysical conditions. Housing characteristics significantly shape everyday auditory experiences as well. This study adopts an integrated approach to urban soundscapes, combining objective measurements with subjective perceptions. It explores the relationships between the spatial distribution of noise and the social and housing characteristics of residents in a post industrial neighborhood in Milan, Italy. This paper identified six housing typologies and used survey data (N=128) to examine the perception of urban and residential soundscapes across them. Combining acoustics and urban sociology, this interdisciplinary study contributes to a deeper understanding of residents’well-being, highlighting the relevance of integrating an acoustic dimension into studies of housing quality.