A prototype of a street furniture element for soundscape management

In modern urban contexts, there is a growing interest in developing new design solutions for noise-related issues and soundscape design and management. The aim of this study was to develop an integrated design solution to create selective quiet spots in urban parks affected by road traffic noise. Firstly, the acoustic properties of a set of materials suitable for 3D printing were analysed in order to select the one that can provide the best combination in terms of acoustic performance, design flexibility and cost-effectiveness. The results showed that such materials could provide a similar sound absorption compared to acoustic materials conventionally used in outdoor applications. Afterwards, the investigated materials were used to design and optimise a prototype of a street furniture element with potential implementations in different urban parks. The design and optimisation process was developed by using a simulation based on the Finite Element Method.