Archinect - News 2024-11-05T18:50:14-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150313316/sensory-urbanism-researchers-make-the-case-for-fighting-visual-bias-in-urban-planning Sensory Urbanism: Researchers make the case for fighting 'visual bias in urban planning' Josh Niland 2022-06-14T19:51:00-04:00 >2024-10-25T04:07:38-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/26/2620a0145a0cb90ad2ffb86b1b86ec92.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>The work of <a href="https://archinect.com/schools/cover/24483365/concordia-university" target="_blank">Concordia University</a> Centre for Sensory Studies director David Howes and other researchers working in the growing field of sensory urbanism was <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/06/14/1053771/sounds-smells-vital-to-cities-as-sights/?truid=ba224f608aeb12bebe2132bbf3ce5ace&amp;utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_content=06-14-2022&amp;mc_cid=e9addc6bb7&amp;mc_eid=2926dffbf6" target="_blank">recently highlighted by Jennifer Hattam</a>&nbsp;of MIT Technology Review.&nbsp;</p> <p>A wide range of methods ranging from the <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/06/14/1053771/sounds-smells-vital-to-cities-as-sights/?truid=ba224f608aeb12bebe2132bbf3ce5ace&amp;utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_content=06-14-2022&amp;mc_cid=e9addc6bb7&amp;mc_eid=2926dffbf6" target="_blank">high-tech</a> and <a href="https://www.berlin.de/umweltatlas/en/traffic-noise/noise-pollution/" target="_blank">data-driven</a>, to more <a href="https://utorontopress.com/9781487528621/the-sensory-studies-manifesto/" target="_blank">ethnographic</a> and <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Green+Routes+project&amp;spell=1&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjDnq29-K34AhVThIkEHcWdDmEQBSgAegQIARAz&amp;biw=1440&amp;bih=700&amp;dpr=1" target="_blank">experience-based</a> ones, are being used as a means to combat the &ldquo;limiting visual bias&rdquo; they see as inherent in most urban planning schemes. Hattam writes, "Around the world, researchers like Howes are investigating how nonvisual information defines the character of a city and affects its livability. Using methods ranging from low-tech sound walks and smell maps to data scraping, wearables, and virtual reality, they&rsquo;re fighting what they see as a limiting visual bias in urban planning."</p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/f1/f1af4196fe382b23cea79dc78e3a3e0e.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/f1/f1af4196fe382b23cea79dc78e3a3e0e.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;enlarge=true&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Previously reported on Archinect: <a href="https://archinect.com/news/bustler/6446/cooper-hewitt-s-sensory-focused-exhibition-the-senses-design-beyond-vision-opens-this-friday" target="_blank">Cooper Hewitt's sensory-focused exhibition, &ldquo;The Senses: Design Beyond Vision&rdquo;</a></figcaption></figure><p>Early real-world applications in Berlin, London, Barcelona, and Instanbul have ...</p>