On the Sound Environment of the City of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

 

R. R. Boullosa*¹, C. Alvarado Z.²

 

^1,2 Laboratorio de Acústica y Vibraciones, Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán CP 04510, México D.F. *E–mail: ricardo.ruizb@gmail.com

² Grupo de Espacios y Sistemas Interactivos para la Educación, Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán CP 04510, México D.F.

 

ABSTRACT

An exploration of the sound environment in the city of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, is presented. A series of interviews were held with 19 residents, of which 7 were undergraduate students, related to the perception of sound in or around places of different zones in the so–called "Viejo Vallarta" ("Old Vallarta").

The purpose was twofold, firstly, to explore the ideas people have relating to the sounds they hear in the city –and in general, the ideas they have relating to peace and tranquility and its possible relation with the sound environment–; secondly, to identify some zones or places that have a particular sound environment – positive or negative. Natural sounds emerged as an important part of the sound identity of the Vallarta region and they seem to be highly appreciated even when the sound levels are high. Sounds related to nature emerged in all interviews: bird calls, sound of wind rustling through trees, sound of breaking sea waves, etc. The interviewees identified places or zones with a negative sonic identity due to disagreeable or high intensity sounds; traffic flow, and mostly the urban bus, is to be blamed for in the main (some mentioned radios at high volume). A series of sound levels (dBA re 20 μPa) at three different times of the year: February, April, and October, 2009 were measured in some locations mentioned by the interviewees. The average sound levels found on those locations considered as having a disagreeable identity were the highest.

Keywords: sound identity, sound environment perception, urban noise.

 

RESUMEN

Se presenta un estudio que constituye básicamente una exploración del ambiente sonoro de Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, México. Se entrevistaron 19 de sus residentes –siete eran estudiantes universitarios–, para detectar la percepción de sonidos en o alrededor de diferentes zonas del llamado Viejo Vallarta.

El estudio tuvo doble propósito: primero, explorar las ideas que las personas tienen con respecto a los sonidos que escuchan en esa ciudad y, en general, las ideas que tienen acerca del concepto paz y tranquilidad y su posible relación con el ambiente sonoro; segundo, identificar algunas zonas o lugares con un ambiente sonoro particular –positivo o negativo–. Los resultados muestran que las personas poseen una clara comprensión de los ambientes de algunos lugares; existen varias locaciones con identidad sónica específica. Los sonidos naturales son parte importante de la identidad sonora de la región de Vallarta y son ampliamente apreciados aun cuando sus niveles sean elevados. Una mención constante de sonidos relacionados con la naturaleza emergió en todas las entrevistas: canto de las aves, sonidos del viento y del oleaje del mar, etc. Se identificaron lugares o zonas con una identidad sonora negativa, debido a sonidos desagradables o de elevada intensidad, y al flujo del tráfico, principalmente por camiones urbanos. Se midieron los niveles de sonido (dBA re 20 μPa) en febrero, abril y octubre de 2009, en algunas de las locaciones de Puerto Vallarta mencionadas por las personas entrevistadas.

 

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