Every December, initiatives emerge to create spaces of silence in cities, a commendable measure but one that reveals an urban planning hypocrisy. If the city needs temporary refuges to endure Christmas noise, what about the rest of the year? The lack of green spaces and permanent quiet areas is a structural problem that cannot be solved with festive decorations.
Acoustic Urbanism: Why Sensors Don't Replace Parks 🎧
Technology allows for real-time noise measurement with IoT sensors and the creation of acoustic pollution maps. Some cities install green screens or sound-absorbing pavements to mitigate traffic roar. However, these technological patches do not compensate for the lack of accessible green spaces. A well-designed park, with natural barriers and rest areas, permanently reduces stress without the need for temporary refuges with wifi and sofas.
Disposable Silence Zones, Like Nougat 🎄
The curious thing is that these Christmas calm spaces pop up like mushrooms and disappear with the Three Kings. So, stress and noise only bother us in December. The rest of the year, residents can continue enjoying the sweet sound of drills and car horns at eight in the morning. If we truly wanted calm, we would plant trees instead of putting up silence signs. But of course, a tree cannot be stored in a closet until next year.