Urban Echo aims to address the challenges of sound
pollution within cities. Through the mediums of urban planning, architecture, and product design this project explores how we might create more livable cities for a sustainable future and to optimize the quality of life and hearing health for those living within the complex urban environments of today.
Ninety percent of New Yorkers are exposed to sounds over the EPA’s safe limit of 90 decibels. This is Estimated to be around four million New Yorkers and when expanded to other major urban areas across the United States account for about 72 million people. The NYPD reports around 1 million sound complaints a year. 37% of these are residential complaints and 37% are uncategorized most likely pedestrian, construction, or traffic noise (see Figure 1). Consistent sounds over 90 decibels degrade the stereocilia (cochlear hair cells) and consistently high decibel sound also results in higher heart rate and blood pressure.
All content for Urban Echo is the property of Oscar Schrag and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Urban Echo aims to address the challenges of sound
pollution within cities. Through the mediums of urban planning, architecture, and product design this project explores how we might create more livable cities for a sustainable future and to optimize the quality of life and hearing health for those living within the complex urban environments of today.
Ninety percent of New Yorkers are exposed to sounds over the EPA’s safe limit of 90 decibels. This is Estimated to be around four million New Yorkers and when expanded to other major urban areas across the United States account for about 72 million people. The NYPD reports around 1 million sound complaints a year. 37% of these are residential complaints and 37% are uncategorized most likely pedestrian, construction, or traffic noise (see Figure 1). Consistent sounds over 90 decibels degrade the stereocilia (cochlear hair cells) and consistently high decibel sound also results in higher heart rate and blood pressure.
Urban Echo created by Oscar Schrag is the culmination of a thesis project, at the Parsons School of Design. Urban Echo explores sound and its relationship to stress, in urban environments, through design. Urban Echo aims to address the challenges of sound pollution within cities. Through the mediums of urban planning, architecture, and product design this project explores how we might create more livable cities for a sustainable future.
Urban Echo
Urban Echo aims to address the challenges of sound
pollution within cities. Through the mediums of urban planning, architecture, and product design this project explores how we might create more livable cities for a sustainable future and to optimize the quality of life and hearing health for those living within the complex urban environments of today.
Ninety percent of New Yorkers are exposed to sounds over the EPA’s safe limit of 90 decibels. This is Estimated to be around four million New Yorkers and when expanded to other major urban areas across the United States account for about 72 million people. The NYPD reports around 1 million sound complaints a year. 37% of these are residential complaints and 37% are uncategorized most likely pedestrian, construction, or traffic noise (see Figure 1). Consistent sounds over 90 decibels degrade the stereocilia (cochlear hair cells) and consistently high decibel sound also results in higher heart rate and blood pressure.