Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: Highway Noise Barriers and the Built Environment

1997 ◽  
Vol 1601 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domenick Billera ◽  
Richard D. Parsons ◽  
Sharon A. Hetrick
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Community Involvement ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Noise Barriers ◽  
Noise Abatement ◽  
Noise Barrier ◽  
Visual Impact ◽  
The Aesthetic

Noise barriers have become a prominent feature on today’s landscape. Unfortunately, they have also become a feature associated with insensitivity toward the built environment. Designers could avoid the negative visual impact that noise barriers frequently create by increasing their awareness of aesthetics in the design process. In an effort to improve the quality of noise barrier design, the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s, Bureau of Environmental Analysis (BEA) altered the design process for its I-76/I-295 Type II noise abatement study. The first objective of the study was to acoustically engineer a barrier that would abate the noise for residents along the affected roadway corridor. The second was to develop an architectural design that would be aesthetically pleasing to the corridor resident and the roadway users. Typically, architects were brought into the design process at the end to review the aesthetic impact of the wall and add architectural features. On the I-76/I-295 project, BEA initiated a parallel process with the architectural design running concurrent with the engineering. The architectural design process and the interfacing of this process with the engineering are described. Community involvement was essential to the architectural objective of designing an aesthetically pleasing barrier. Ideas reflecting community concerns and comments were refined into final recommendations for construction of a noise barrier with gateways and a unifying corridor theme. The noise barrier should then become a representation of the community and stand as an icon in the built environment. Noise barriers can have a positive impact on the built environment if a commitment is made to aesthetics throughout the design process.

Highway Noise Barriers: 1994 Survey of Practice

1996 ◽  
Vol 1523 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-115
Author(s):  
Beverly B. Storey ◽  
Sally H. Godfrey
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Public Involvement ◽  
Visual Quality ◽  
Highway Traffic ◽  
Noise Barriers ◽  
Private Industry ◽  
Barrier Materials ◽  
Noise Barrier ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
Transportation Agencies

Highway traffic noise is an ever-increasing problem for transportation agencies. The challenge presented to transportation agencies is to incorporate noise abatement into the highway environment without compromising the aesthetic integrity of the surrounding communities. In an effort to guide highway designers, a survey of practice was sent to all state transportation agencies and their equivalents in Puerto Rico and Ontario, Canada. The portions of the survey regarding noise-barrier materials, aesthetic visual quality in design, and public involvement in the design process are discussed in this paper. The literature review revealed a long-standing effort throughout Europe to incorporate many aesthetic features into noise-barrier systems and to use public preferences to guide design. Many new products that provide aesthetically pleasing noise barriers, in addition to the noise-level reductions required of transportation agencies, are now available. Innovative and versatile methods of using standard materials, such as concrete, have provided a continual supply of barrier designs. A multidisciplinary collaboration (including citizen representatives) in the design process has proved to be an effective method of ensuring that the best design is implemented for both sides of the highway environment. Collectively, transportation agencies, private industry, and institutional research programs should work together to advance the knowledge available in noise research and to further develop the aesthetic visual quality of the highway environment.

Perception of Traffic Noise Barrier Effectiveness: Public Opinion Survey of Residents Living near I-71

1997 ◽  
Vol 1601 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lloyd A. Herman ◽  
Michael A. Finney ◽  
Craig M. Clum ◽  
E.W. Pinckney
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Traffic Noise ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Opinion Survey ◽  
Noise Barriers ◽  
Noise Abatement ◽  
Public Controversy ◽  
Public Opinion Survey ◽  
Project Area ◽  
Noise Barrier

The completion of the largest Ohio Department of Transportation traffic noise abatement project in 1995 was met with public controversy over the effectiveness of the noise barriers. A public opinion survey was designed to obtain the perceptions of the residents in the project area. In a departure from most surveys of traffic noise barrier effectiveness, the coverage was not limited to the first or second row of houses, but was extended to 800 m on each side of the roadway. It was found that the larger survey area was needed to avoid misleading conclusions. Overall perceptions of noise barrier effectiveness were found to vary with distance from the roadway and with noise barrier configuration.

Adopting SCAMPER`S Strategies to Incorporate the Sustainability Concepts Within Architectural Design Process

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farhan Ali ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Divergent Thinking ◽  
Functional Performance ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Existing Building ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Aesthetic

Thinking creatively, is a necessary condition of the Design process to transform ideas into novel solutions and break barriers to creativity. Although, there are many techniques and ways to stimulate creative thinking for designers, however, this research paper adopts SCAMPER; which is acronym of: Substitute- Combine-Adapt- Modify or Magnify-Put to another use-Eliminate-Reverse or Rearrange- to integrate the sustainability concepts within architectural design process. Many creative artifacts have been designed consciously or unconsciously adopting SCAMPER strategies such as rehabilitation and reuse projects to improve the functional performance or the aesthetic sense of an existing building for the better. SCAMPER is recognized as a divergent thinking tool are used during the initial ideation stage, aims to leave the usual way of thinking to generate a wide range of new ideas that will lead to new insights, original ideas, and creative solutions to problems. The research focuses on applying this method in the architectural design, which is rarely researched, through reviewing seven examples that have been designed consciously or unconsciously adopting SCAMPER mnemonic techniques. The paper aims to establish a starting point for further research to deepen it and study its potentials in solving architectural design problems.

scholarly journals Designed Parameters: Advancing Parametric Software in the Architectural Design Process

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thomas Le Comte
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Parametric Design ◽  
Digital Fabrication ◽  
Linear Process ◽  
Planning Problem ◽  
Architectural Space ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Parametric System

<p>Architects use computers predominantly to digitise a design process that has been in use prior to the advent of the computer. Traditional analogue concepts are transferred into and sculpted through the digital world but the overall process has remained mostly unchanged for decades. Merely digitising a known process does not utilise the full power of the computer and its near limitless ability to compute.  For an architect, design of the built environment is highly important especially if they are to optimise the physical, phenomenological and psychological aspects of the space. The process of designing an architectural space is riddled with possibilities or variables that architects have used historically to aid in the design of the built environment, including but not limited to: object relationships, climate, site conditions, history, habitibility and the clients input - all project requirements that must somehow be quantified into a built object. This information is key for an architect as it will inform and form the architecture which is to be designed for the project at hand.  This information, however useful, is not easy to integrate into every aspect of the design without intensive planning, problem solving and an exploration of almost an infinite number of possibilities. This is where parametric design can be used to aid in the design. More of the fundamental aspects of the information gathered in a project can be programmed into a computer as parameters or relationships. Once this information has been quantified, the designer can run through iterations of a design which are defined by these parameters. This is not a random process. It is controlled by the designer and the outcome is a product of how the architect designs the parameters, or relationships between components of the design.  Parametric design offers a shift from merely digitising design ideas to using programmed constraints derived through the design process to influence and augment the design envisioned by the architect. Parametric design allows the system to be changed holistically and updated through the alteration of individual components that will then impact the form of the design as a whole – creating a non-linear process that is connected throughout all design phases.  This thesis seeks to explore parametric design through its implementation within a group design project to decipher how a parametric process grounded in an understanding of contemporary digital fabrication can inform architectural space. To explore parametric design, this thesis will practice this re-envisioned design process through three design phases. The first phase is the foundational knowledge stage where the applications of digital workflow, computer models, tools and material explorations are examined. Second is the production of a prototype to investigate lessons learnt from phase one and apply these lessons to an actual parametric system used to design a prototype. The final stage will be a developed design process that will further explore a parametric system and its architectural applications. These phases will be developed through a series of prototypes in the form of material explorations and scale artefacts which will explore how it would be used to address many of the designs facets from sensual to corporeal.</p>

scholarly journals Traffic Noise Mitigation Using Single and Double Barrier Caps of Different Shapes for an Extended Frequency Range

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (17) ◽  
pp. 5746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domingo Pardo-Quiles ◽  
José-Víctor Rodríguez ◽  
Jose-Maria Molina-García-Pardo ◽  
Leandro Juan-Llácer
Keyword(s):  
Road Traffic ◽  
Traffic Noise ◽  
Noise Mitigation ◽  
Noise Barriers ◽  
Double Barrier ◽  
Noise Abatement ◽  
Extended Frequency ◽  
Different Shapes ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
Insertion Losses

The primary function of noise barriers is to shield inhabitants of affected areas from excessive noise generated by road traffic. To enhance the performance of noise barriers while simultaneously adhering to height restrictions, the attachment of structures (caps) of different shapes to the tops of conventional screens can be considered. These caps can significantly impact the diffracted sound energy, thereby increasing the desired global acoustic losses. This work presents a comprehensive study of the acoustic performance of noise barriers with single and double attached caps of different shapes through a calculation of their insertion losses (IL). This study comprehensively addresses and compares different types, sizes, combinations, and numbers of noise barrier caps for different scenarios (including sloping and absorbent grounds) and sources (“car” and “ambulance”) for an extended frequency band up to 10 kHz. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is a range that has not previously been analyzed. A variety of different cap shapes were considered including cylinders, rectangles, trapezoids, and Y/T-shaped forms. To calculate the IL, an innovative and fast uniform theory of diffraction (UTD)-based method developed by the authors was applied in all simulations. The results showed that the Y-shaped single and double barrier caps were, in general, the most effective at increasing IL without raising the height of the barrier, thereby successfully managing the aesthetic impact. The results also showed how the consideration of sloping and absorbent floors could also contribute to improved noise abatement.

scholarly journals Role of Architectural Design in Creating Circadian-Effective Interior Settings

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (20) ◽  
pp. 6731
Author(s):  
Baraa J. Alkhatatbeh ◽  
Somayeh Asadi
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Lighting Design ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Artificial Light ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Lighting Energy ◽  
Window Area

Daylight variability throughout the day makes it an ideal light source for the stimulation of humans’ circadian systems. However, the key criteria, including proper quantity, quality, and hours of access to daylight, are not always present inside the built environment. Therefore, artificial light is necessary to complement the human’s visual and non-visual needs for light. Architectural design parameters, such as window area, orientation, glazing material, and surface reflectance alter the characteristics of both daylight and artificial light inside buildings. These parameters and their impact on lighting design should be considered from the early design stages to attain a circadian-effective design. In response to this need, a design approach called Human-Centric Lighting (HCL) was introduced. HCL places humans, and their visual and non-visual needs, in the center of the design process. It manipulates the light-related factors, such as spectrum and intensity, within the built environment for circadian benefits. The effect of HCL on lighting energy efficiency is still not clear. This paper reviews essential architectural design parameters and their impacts on circadian lighting design, considers the HCL design process and explores the most widely used circadian lighting metrics and standards.

scholarly journals PENGALAMAN WISATAWAN DALAM LINGKUNGAN BINAAN: STRATEGI DISAIN LINGKUNGAN FISIK DAN INTEGRASINYA

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Syaiful Muazir
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Natural Condition ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Environmental Design ◽  
Financial Sector ◽  
Physical Development ◽  
Regional Studies ◽  
Technology Utilization ◽  
Design Structure

Recent day, tourism has become one of the important (experience) industries, which has ability to promoted financial sector growth, steering physical development, and self-promotion event. In sum, tourism has many perspective fields of studies, and some of them are city-regional studies, built environment and architecture. The aim of this paper is to provide a perspective on the“design structure” and also the integration in multi-disciplinary level in a perspective of physical environmental design (built environment). The construction of ideas was done through deepening and searching of related literatures and then complemented by practices side reviewed. In the realm of physical environmental design, theoretically, there are some multi-disciplinary considerations; emotional-personal to the adaptation of physical design process. And, some of the approaches may be formed by “frame” of: architectural design, zoning and division, routes and circulation, natural condition, as well as technology utilization.

scholarly journals Designed Parameters: Advancing Parametric Software in the Architectural Design Process

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thomas Le Comte
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Parametric Design ◽  
Digital Fabrication ◽  
Linear Process ◽  
Planning Problem ◽  
Architectural Space ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Parametric System

<p>Architects use computers predominantly to digitise a design process that has been in use prior to the advent of the computer. Traditional analogue concepts are transferred into and sculpted through the digital world but the overall process has remained mostly unchanged for decades. Merely digitising a known process does not utilise the full power of the computer and its near limitless ability to compute.  For an architect, design of the built environment is highly important especially if they are to optimise the physical, phenomenological and psychological aspects of the space. The process of designing an architectural space is riddled with possibilities or variables that architects have used historically to aid in the design of the built environment, including but not limited to: object relationships, climate, site conditions, history, habitibility and the clients input - all project requirements that must somehow be quantified into a built object. This information is key for an architect as it will inform and form the architecture which is to be designed for the project at hand.  This information, however useful, is not easy to integrate into every aspect of the design without intensive planning, problem solving and an exploration of almost an infinite number of possibilities. This is where parametric design can be used to aid in the design. More of the fundamental aspects of the information gathered in a project can be programmed into a computer as parameters or relationships. Once this information has been quantified, the designer can run through iterations of a design which are defined by these parameters. This is not a random process. It is controlled by the designer and the outcome is a product of how the architect designs the parameters, or relationships between components of the design.  Parametric design offers a shift from merely digitising design ideas to using programmed constraints derived through the design process to influence and augment the design envisioned by the architect. Parametric design allows the system to be changed holistically and updated through the alteration of individual components that will then impact the form of the design as a whole – creating a non-linear process that is connected throughout all design phases.  This thesis seeks to explore parametric design through its implementation within a group design project to decipher how a parametric process grounded in an understanding of contemporary digital fabrication can inform architectural space. To explore parametric design, this thesis will practice this re-envisioned design process through three design phases. The first phase is the foundational knowledge stage where the applications of digital workflow, computer models, tools and material explorations are examined. Second is the production of a prototype to investigate lessons learnt from phase one and apply these lessons to an actual parametric system used to design a prototype. The final stage will be a developed design process that will further explore a parametric system and its architectural applications. These phases will be developed through a series of prototypes in the form of material explorations and scale artefacts which will explore how it would be used to address many of the designs facets from sensual to corporeal.</p>

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