Gardens and other small green spaces with natural components may prove to be increasingly important in the future, as their spatial requirements are more flexible than parks. Accessibility to green spaces is thus a crucial factor to consider in city planning, albeit one that may be difficult to adhere to, especially as densification proceeds. Research has shown that nature and nature-like environments can alleviate and prevent such negative health effects. While a certain amount of stress is a natural part of human life, extended periods of exposure may lead to negative health effects, such as sleeping problems, depression, cardiovascular disease and chronic fatigue. Problems relating to stress constitute a major challenge for the global community. It is known that urbanisation and urban lifestyles can lead to stress and negative health effects. Today, 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, with an expected increase to almost 70% in 2050. Space is a scarce resource in Japan, and gardens are often designed to appear larger than they actually are, which makes them interesting as reference objects for pocket parks and other small green spaces. In contemporary Japan, the gardens still offer a contrast to the restraints of modern life and the highly densified cities that often surround them. The green and natural landscapes of Japanese gardens have constituted an important part of the urban fabric for several hundred years. Other gardens encourage physical activity and engage the bodily senses. Some of the most famous gardens are Zen Buddhist gardens, rich with symbolic meaning and spiritual qualities, and sometimes specifically designed to stimulate meditation. Studies have shown that spending time in a Japanese garden can lead to a reduction in heart rate and an improved mood. For instance, the shape of pruned trees in Japanese gardens have been used as motivation for the “Savannah theory”. Rocks, water and vegetation constitute some of the most typical materials, meticulously shaped to represent nature “at its best”. Japanese gardens tend to receive high preference ratings compared to other types of gardens and landscapes, which can partly be explained by their informal character and natural expressions. It is a diverse tradition held together by its Japanese sense of aesthetics, characterised by asymmetry, symbolism, geomancy, careful detailing and the use of natural materials (c.f. Originally inspired by gardens in China, the Japanese garden tradition has a long history with many particular styles, including the dry landscaped garden karesansui, the stroll garden kaiyū-shiki-teien and the tea garden cha-niwa. Japanese gardens are sources of inspiration for gardeners, landscape architects and designers around the world. The findings are discussed in relation to health and soundscape research, focusing on multisensory experiences, masking strategies and potentials for implementation and future developments of the design tool. The autoethnographic approach allowed for the phenomenological perspective to be brought forward, which contributed new insights regarding the design tool. The study provides concrete examples of how the tool can be used to enhance tranquil qualities, particularly focusing on small green spaces in dense urban settings, involving the (simultaneous) reduction of unwanted sounds and enhancement of wanted sounds/effects. They are structured around three main categories: localisation of functions, reduction of unwanted sounds and introduction of wanted sounds. A total of 19 Soundscape Actions are described and discussed in the paper. The studies are based on observations in situ, supported by video documentation, field recordings and readings of sound pressure levels (SPL). An autoethnographic approach was used to conduct field studies in 88 gardens in Japan, the majority of which are located in urban areas with potential noise disturbance. The study focuses on the Japanese garden tradition, which is known for high preference ratings, tranquil qualities and consideration for sound and other sensory experiences. The present research aims to substantiate one of the available tools, Soundscape Actions, and thereby increase the understanding of soundscape design. Landscape architecture and urban design disciplines could benefit from soundscape thinking in order to enhance experiential qualities in their projects, though the available tools are not yet fully developed nor tested.
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