The urban soundscapes of a studentified neighbourhood in the City of Tshwane, South Africa

Abstract

Urban environments produce distinctive and diverse soundscapes. The challenge of noise in particular impacts city dwellers and urban livability. There is an abundance of research focused on noise pollution with a limited but growing research interest in urban soundscapes. Few studies, however, explore the unique soundscapes and challenges of noise in neighbourhoods that have undergone studentification. Indeed, the development of student housing, the concentration of a student population, and the clustering of activities related to spaces of student consumption produce unique and often polluted soundscapes. Using three ethnographic soundwalks and a survey with students from the University of Pretoria, this paper explores the soundscapes of Hatfield, a neighbourhood that has undergone studentification. This paper seeks to understand the challenges related to urban noise and how this impacts students. It was found that noise has unique spatio-temporal characteristics impacting student’s ability to manage noise. Indeed, noise emanating from traffic and entertainment establishments is perceived to be the most disruptive. It is recommended that urban planners, property developers, architects, and urban managers need to be aware of the unique and often polluted soundscapes that are associated with a studentified neighbourhood. This awareness could inform better urban planning, architectural and urban design, and policies on the management of noise levels within these types of neighbourhoods.