Audiovisual perception of a historical route in Konya city (Türkiye)

Abstract

To perceive our world, the city we live in, and communicate with the urban elements surrounding us, information from other sensory sources (such as auditory, touch, and smell) as well as visual perception are very important and deeply affecting data. With the help of all the sensory data they feel, people attach meanings to the space, feel a sense of belonging, connect to the space, and transform the space into a 'living space'. It is stated by many studies that this issue is very important in the design of a sustainable urban environment. From this point of view, the main purpose of this study is to understand the interaction of the visual and auditory characteristics of the urban space with each other and how these interactions are evaluated by the individuals using the space with inquiries such as ‘Is the visual value also high in areas with high soundscape value?’ or ‘Does the visuality of the urban environment affect sound quality assessments? Within the scope of the study, the axis between Konya High-Speed Train Station and Mevlana Tomb, an important axis in terms of the city’s vision, was selected as a sample area. This axis is about 3 km. long and has many historical identity values and central functions of Konya city. For the study, soundwalking and the questionnaire application method accompanying this walk on the sample axis were used. Acoustic characteristics of the axis were also understood with sound intensity measurements (dB levels). Photographs taken from the area and the questionnaire application to measure the user's perspective were used to understand the visual attractiveness of the sample axis. The study was carried out with a total of 92 people participating in the study. In the next step, the data obtained from all these analyses are integrated, and detailed evaluations were made on the determined parts and the whole axis. As a result of the study, it was seen that the relationship between the auditory and visual environment was not directly proportional across the selected sample axis. At this point, it can be said that the importance of the context in which the auditory landscape is perceived is obvious.