Indoor Soundscape: Integrating Sound, Experience and Architecture (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Acoustics (ISSN 2624-599X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 22 June 2026 | Viewed by 3709

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Interior Architecture, School of Architecture, Cankaya University, Cankaya, Ankara 06530, Turkey
Interests: soundscape; architectural acoustics; subjective ratings of livingscapes; indoor environmental quality and management
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the release of the 2nd edition, which follows the successful debut of the first edition. This Special Issue of Acoustics invites original research on the perception, analysis, and design of indoor soundscapes. The indoor soundscape framework includes built entities, sound environments, and the contextual experience of the user. This condensation of diverse facets into a single holistic approach has resulted in the establishment of this research field. From this perspective, users and their interactions with their environment become a dominant component of the evaluation process.

We invite contributions that explore the perception, evaluation, and design of indoor soundscapes across diverse environments, ranging from residential spaces and offices to schools, hospitals, and public interiors. This Special Issue focuses on human-centered, interdisciplinary approaches to understanding how aural environments influence well-being, cognitive performance, and user satisfaction. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: acoustic comfort, soundscape evaluation methods, psychological and behavioral responses to sound, biophilic and inclusive design, and the integration of VR/AR, machine learning, and smart building technologies in shaping indoor soundscapes.

We welcome studies addressing the following topics:

  • Soundscape evaluation in residential, educational, healthcare, and commercial interiors;
  • Acoustic comfort and user perception;
  • Psychoacoustic and temporal analysis methods;
  • Architectural elements shaping sound environments;
  • Enclosed and semi-enclosed public space acoustics;
  • Human-centered methods, including surveys, interviews, and VR-based simulations;
  • Innovative tools for soundscape design and analysis.

This issue highlights interdisciplinary perspectives, where architecture, acoustics, psychology, and technology converge to advance the design of healthier, more responsive, and inclusive indoor environments.

Join us in redefining the future of indoor soundscapes.

Dr. Papatya Nur Dökmeci Yörükoğlu
Prof. Dr. Jian Kang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Acoustics is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soundscape of enclosed and semi-enclosed environments
  • effects of architectural elements on acoustic formations
  • improving the quality of indoor livingscape for the users
  • archisonic analysis
  • acoustic comfort in public spaces
  • quality of experience within built environments
  • indoor soundscaping methods and tools
  • questionnaire design and indoor soundwalks
  • recording, measurement, and modeling of indoor sound environments

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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30 pages, 3517 KB  
Article
Acoustic Conditions and Listening Performance in High-Stakes EFL Tests: An Observational Study of Real-World Data
by Makito Kawata and Hiroshi Hasegawa
Acoustics 2025, 7(4), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics7040080 - 9 Dec 2025
Viewed by 683
Abstract
This study investigated how test room acoustic conditions relate to listening comprehension performance in a high-stakes English as a foreign language (EFL) assessment context. Using score data (n = 2532) from five TOEFL ITP test sessions conducted between 2021 and 2025 at [...] Read more.
This study investigated how test room acoustic conditions relate to listening comprehension performance in a high-stakes English as a foreign language (EFL) assessment context. Using score data (n = 2532) from five TOEFL ITP test sessions conducted between 2021 and 2025 at a private university in Chiba, Japan, we compared performance across three lecture halls with documented differences in reverberation time (RT) and Speech Transmission Index (STI). Each listening score was linked to an approximated seat-based STI value, while grammar/reading scores were used to account for baseline proficiency. Linear mixed-effects modeling analyses indicated that examinees in the least favorable acoustic environment (RT0.5–2kHz 1.51 s, STI 0.60) obtained lower listening scores than those in rooms with shorter RT (0.93 s, 0.79 s) and higher STI (0.69, 0.67), respectively. Subgroup analyses revealed a significant effect at the CEFR-J B1.1 level, though the room and B1.1 effects showed modest estimated marginal mean differences (EMMDiff) roughly corresponding to 2–3 points on the total scale. Seat-based STI analyses also showed significant EMMDiff, with approximately 3–7 total score point differences observed between categories F (0.52–0.55) and ≥D (≥0.60). While the dataset was limited to one institution and the sample distribution limited generalizability of the findings, the study offers empirical findings that can inform future research and discussions on equitable listening assessment practices. Full article
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26 pages, 2471 KB  
Systematic Review
Indoor Soundscape Intervention (ISI) Criteria for Architectural Practice: A Systematic Review with Grounded Theory Analysis
by Uğur Beyza Erçakmak Osma and Papatya Nur Dökmeci Yörükoğlu
Acoustics 2025, 7(3), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics7030046 - 28 Jul 2025
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Abstract
Indoor soundscape is a relatively new and developing field compared to urban soundscape in practice. To address this gap, this study aims to identify the key influencing factors as a first step of the indoor soundscape intervention approach. The study employed a two-phase [...] Read more.
Indoor soundscape is a relatively new and developing field compared to urban soundscape in practice. To address this gap, this study aims to identify the key influencing factors as a first step of the indoor soundscape intervention approach. The study employed a two-phase methodology. Phase one involved a Systematic Review (SR) of the literature, conducted through the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, to collate data on the influencing factors and intervention criteria of the indoor soundscape approach. Searching was conducted using two databases, Web of Science and Scopus. As a result of the search, a total of 29 studies were included in the review. The review included studies addressing the soundscape influencing factors and theoretical frameworks. Studies that did not address these criteria were excluded. Phase two comprised the application of the Grounded Theory (GT) coding process to organize, categorize, and merge the data collected in phase one. As a result of the coding process, three levels of categories were achieved; L1: key concept, L2: overarching category, L3: core category. Four core categories were identified as ‘Sound’, ‘People’, ‘Building’, and ‘Environment’ by proposing the Indoor Soundscape Intervention (ISI) criteria. The repeatable and updatable nature of the proposed method allows it to be adapted to further studies and different contexts/cases. Full article
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