Further investigation on pockets of quiet within historical city centres: the case of widenings

Research reveals that widenings within historical city centers, such as those found in the ancient city center of Naples, possess significant restorative potential. These spaces, often overlooked among narrow streets, offer temporary respite from urban noise and chaos, comparable to the acoustically advantageous cloisters and courts of historic buildings. The study employed binaural recordings and in situ interviews to assess these spaces' acoustic peculiarities and non-acoustic characteristics, demonstrating their ability to induce restoration. This finding expands the understanding of quiet zones beyond traditional green parks, highlighting the importance of integrating such spaces into urban planning for historical city centers.

Masullo, M., Toma, R. A., & Maffei, L. (2021). Further investigation on pockets of quiet within historical city centres: the case of widenings. INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings, 263(3), 3056–3063. https://doi.org/10.3397/in-2021-2296