ABSTRACT
So far the discussion has been focused on the nature of noise as a physical phenomenon and how the human ear perceives it. This chapter will look at the behaviour of sound particularly in the external environment. The discussion would be of interest to both students and practitioners of design as it would shed light on ways that can lead to dealing with noise successfully as part of the design process. Before that can be undertaken, it is worth clarifying the difference between sound and noise. From a purely physical point of view, both sound and noise are the same as they are both random vibrations. From a subjective point of view however, there is a difference. One person’s enjoyable sound (loud music with a distinct bass) is another’s noise. Noise therefore can be defi ned as unwanted sound.
