Soundwalk
The group walks a route in silence with one purpose: listening. People start with the sounds of their own steps and breath, then move outward to near and far sounds, and notice which are continuous, which come and go, and what they reveal about the place. Afterwards the group compares what it heard.
Use on a place-based or design offsite (a site visit, a neighbourhood project, a new office) to notice how a place actually works, or as a calm opener for a group that talks too fast.
Solves: Teams judge a place by how it looks on a map or in photos and miss how it feels to be there.
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Step 1: Set the route and agree to walk in silence, spaced out a little (5 min).
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Step 2: Listen to your own sounds first: steps, breath, clothes (5 min).
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Step 3: Walk and widen your listening: near, middle, far. Notice continuous sounds, intermittent ones, rhythms (15-30 min).
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Step 4: Stop at two or three points and stand still for a minute of pure listening.
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Step 5: Regroup and share: what did you hear, what surprised you, what does it tell us about this place? (10-15 min)
- Plan the route with sound contrasts: a busy road, a courtyard, water, an underpass.
- Check for traffic crossings; people listening hard may not look as carefully.
- People with hearing loss can take part by including felt vibration and visual signs of sound.
- Partner soundwalk: one person walks with eyes closed, guided by the other.
- Sound map: sit still and map sounds around you on paper.