This study presents the indoor soundscape framework in detail by describing the variables and factors that form an indoor soundscape study. The main objective is to introduce a new indoor soundscaping framework and systematically explain the variables that contribute to the overall evaluation of an indoor soundscape. Hence, the dependencies of physical and psychoacoustical factors of the sound environment and the spatial factors of the built entity are statistically tested. The new indoor soundscaping framework leads to an overarching evaluation perspective of enclosed sound environments, combining objective room acoustics research and noise control engineering with architectural analysis. Therefore, it is hypothesised that case spaces with certain plan organisations, volumetric relations, and spatial referencing lead to differentiated sound pressure level (SPL) and loudness (N) values. SPL and N parametric variances of the sound environments are discussed through the statistical findings with respect to the architectural characteristics of each library case space. The results show that the relation between crowd level variances and sound environment parametric values is statistically significant. It is also found that increasing the atrium height and atrium void volume, the atrium’s presence as a common architectural element, and its interpenetrating reference and domain containment results in unwanted variances and acoustic formations, leading to high SPL and N values.

An Indoor Soundscape Questionnaire aiming at the evaluation of indoor public sound environments was designed, statistically tested and presented. It was established through initial pilot studies and three main factors under contextual experience variable are established as (1) psychological factors, (2) space usage factors and (3) demographical factors. In addition to the questions on demographical and space usage factors, detailed questions on psychological factors are designed and statistically tested for expectation, perception and reaction categories of the psychological factor. The questionnaire was applied as part of a case study in enclosed library foyer environments to a group of 270 participants through non-experimental survey data sampling. The reliability and validity scores of the Indoor Soundscape Questionnaire were statistically tested and confirmed. Furthermore, statistical tests were used to derive relationships between contextual experience variables of psychological, space usage and demographical factors. Chi-square test of goodness-of-fit results showed statistical significances of demographical and space usage factors with the psychological factors.

The effecting factors of soundscape perception and space experience have a very close relationship. This study aims to synthesize the diversity of soundscape classifications and schemes and unify such factorial variations in order to develop an integrated framework for soundscape perception and spatial experience within a systematic review of recent progress and by adapting post-occupancy evaluation methodology. First, factors under soundscape perception and space experience are reviewed in detail and merged to form conceptual classification models. Six soundscape perception factors are formed as (1) sonic, (2) spatial, (3) temporal, (4) psychological, (5) behavioural and (6) personal. Similarly, five space experience factors are formed as (1) user, (2) usage, (3) architectural design, (4) social context and (5) physical environment. All related items in the literature are presented and the sub-items under each factor are exemplified. Second, factors under the merged conceptual models are integrated by considering occupants’ experience of space regarding their variance in perception of soundscapes through acoustical post-occupancy evaluation. An adapted study design is proposed under indicative, investigative and diagnostic stages of the post-occupancy evaluation by presenting the methods, data types and factorial correlations for each stage.

Improving soundscape studies and policies states that the soundscape approach, which also considers noise interventions, should replace noise management. However, a considerable number of soundscape studies have been concerned with the quality of acoustic environments of open and urban public spaces. This study focuses on indoor soundscaping and its possible integration into the architectural design and application process. Therefore, the present and ongoing Turkish and European soundscape and noise management policies were evaluated in detail and compared in order to characterize the gap regarding the state of indoor soundscaping between the literature and the policy development level. Furthermore, we identified and classified factors and methods which have an influence on indoor soundscaping to be integrated into the final proposed model. As a result of the detailed evaluation regarding policies and indoor soundscaping principles, five stages were proposed that can be used in an integrated indoor soundscape model: (1) the establishment of a topic specific institution or working group on indoor soundscaping; (2) the preparation of a standard that includes definitions, indoor soundscape factors and methods; (3) the preparation of an indoor soundscape directive; (4) the preparation of indoor soundscape guidelines; and (5) the provision of maintenance and supervision by experts and authorities.

Studies in the literature suggest that factors influencing soundscape perception are based heavily on sound environments and auditory perception. Nevertheless, in studying the soundscape perception of people living in certain acoustic environments, cultural, social and habitual criteria should be taken into consideration. Residential environments are where people spend most of their time. Therefore, understanding the soundscape perception in the residential context is significant for indoor soundscape studies. This research investigates the residential soundscape perception differences of two different culture groups living in Ankara, Turkey. A total of 405 Arab and Turkish residents are included in the study. The questionnaire findings are statistically analysed using one-way analysis of variance and t-test. The results suggest that the sound environment in a house setting is equally important for both culture groups, while the Arab residents showed a higher satisfaction level from their present sound environment in their residences. Furthermore, statistically significant differences have been found based on cultural variances of the two groups regarding the overall soundscape perception, sound source loudness, frequency of occurrence, and sound favourability evaluations.

This work presents a semiotic perspective of aspects of a soundscape evaluation of the city, Supino located in the Province of Frosinone in the Italian region of Lazio. The data and sound sample collection was accomplished through the soundwalk technique undertaken by students of Çankaya University, School of Architecture during the ‘Third International Summer School in Supino’ 17–24 August 2014. For the soundscape evaluation, three zones were identified in Supino as urban, suburban, and intersection. A total of nine samples across three zones were collected during three different times in a day by soundwalks from the areas located in the identified zones. A theoretical model of semiotic interpretations of soundscapes has been proposed and applied for the analysis of Supino’s soundscape. The results showed that the soundscape of Supino differs according to its cultural, habitual, and anthropological tendencies. In addition, the semantic analysis shows that the soundscape composition of the sound sources in the three zones varies by the change of time, sound composition and sources, topography, and settlement of the city.