Sonic Cityscapes

During my Data Visceralization course at IDM in Spring 2024, I created a data sonification project using MAX to highlight the issue of noise pollution in NYC and its impact on health. Inspired by the audio installation Earth Cry, which connected global issues like climate change to the personal experiences of local communities, I sought to evoke a similar visceral understanding. My project
juxtaposes the city's pleasant sounds—children playing, birds, and music—with the harsh realities of noise pollution, including sirens, traffic, and food carts.

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Beginning with immersive park sounds, I used spatial audio techniques in the Audio Lab to simulate an environment, transitioning with a recording of my footsteps into more polluted urban soundscapes. Mapping these sounds to their corresponding locations across Brooklyn, Washington Square Park, Chelsea, Midtown, and finally my own room, I created a sound journey that intensifies with a gradually quickening heartbeat, reflecting the growing discomfort and stress caused by the noise. The project culminates in my room, demonstrating how noise pollution invades even our private spaces, leaving us without the luxury of silence.