Helsinki collecting residents’ experiences of quiet places

Respond to the survey and share your experiences of the peaceful and quiet pockets of Helsinki. The aim of the survey is to identify places with pleasant soundscapes both in the built environment and in nature areas. The survey supplements the city-wide noise mapping that is carried out every five years.
Mellunkylänpuro Aarrepuistossa.
Pleasant and quiet soundscapes promote people's well-being in many ways. Photo: Satu Tegel

Quiet areas and places are of great importance to city residents. When people think about quiet places, they often think about nature areas removed from busy transport routes. In these areas, the soundscape is dominated by natural sounds. However, there are also many relatively quiet places in built environments. Such areas can include parks and courtyards, for example.

A quiet soundscape does not mean total silence, but rather a peaceful and pleasant soundscape. Some places can be perceived as quiet despite being full of all kinds of sounds. It is their other characteristics, such as greenery, comfort and beautiful landscapes, that make them feel pleasant and calming. 

In the survey, you will get to mark places on a map of Helsinki and share your experiences of factors affecting the soundscape. Responding to the survey will take approximately five minutes.

You can respond to the survey in Finnish, Swedish or English. The survey will remain open until Monday 12 May.