Find out more
“Hear” the future urban environment at Place de la Nation
As part of its renovation project for Place de la Nation, the City of Paris approached the CSTB in early 2017 to assess the quality of the urban sound environment at the site by listening and by comparing the existing development in different scenarios, which leaves more room for pedestrians, cyclists and greener spaces. Throughout 2017, the options were reviewed using the MithraSON software developed and distributed by the CSTB and accessible to city developers, engineering firms and local authorities. This tool provides detailed simulations of urban soundscapes, and includes forecasting and sound reproduction of road traffic noise, as well as a set of natural, technological and human urban sound sources. From the point of view of a pedestrian traveling virtually through the square, project stakeholders can immerse themselves in different urban sound environments. Although MithraSON integrates a simple traffic model, for Place de la Nation, it was necessary to introduce complex traffic and additional sources, such as two-wheeled motorized vehicles and buses. The study results were presented by the CSTB to the City of Paris in January 2018 in the Oscar Niemeyer Room, which has an acoustic immersion system.
