Improving Workplaces With Soundscapes

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29 June 2022

Could biophilic design “for the ears” be the latest innovation to transform the workplace?

We know that unwanted noise at work can affect our ability to be productive, and the commercial soundscaping market is looking to provide a solution.

Moodsonic, a company that creates nature-inspired biophilic soundscapes, launches following two years of development to specifically address the need to provide healthier work, healthcare, and educational spaces. 

Their recent research, conducted alongside Goldsmiths, University of London, compared the soundscapes to typical office noise in a London workplace.

Compared to normal offices, Moodsonic’s soundscapes increased relaxation, as seen in both heart-rate and EEG (brainwave) measurements, the effects of which were seen to continue increasing over time. Participants also completed cognitive tests significantly quicker, without losing accuracy.

What is Biophilic Sound Design?

Nature’s calming sounds have been shown to decrease muscle tension and heart rate, help people to feel safe and secure and cue the body’s circadian rhythms. Research also shows that natural soundscapes can reduce the distracting power of speech and promote optimal cognitive functioning, even better than silence. Moodsonic uses sound design to bring these benefits to the workplace and other buildings, describing it as “biophilic design for the ears.”

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“We created Moodsonic to address a pervasive and unaddressed need: whether in offices, hospitals, schools, or elsewhere, everyone hates the sound indoors. All of the historical approaches have been negative; reduce the volume here, eliminate sound there. With Moodsonic we took a step back and dug deep into the science of how sound affects us, psychoacoustics, and acoustic engineering, to build technology to optimise the soundscape indoors”, said Evan Benway, Founder, and Managing Director of Moodsonic.

“Founded on a deep respect for and understanding of our innate preferences for nature - also known as biophilia - Moodsonic channels that science into dynamic, intelligent soundscapes that make our buildings healthier, more functional, and more inviting. Buildings where the soundscape is in tune without our bodies throughout the day, where you can walk into a space and intuitively understand its purpose”, Evan added.

Picture: a photograph of a mountainous area. A person working at a desk can be seen in the centre of the image. Image Credit: Moodsonic

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 29 June 2022

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