Environment Simulator Step 1 of 6 16% Welcome to the Environment Simulator, where you get the chance to design your own urban square or urban park. You can chose a number of things, such as the material of the surrounding buildings, and the number of people there. Once it is designed, you will discover how the place will look and sound. The process takes 5 minutes to complete. Listen via headphones for the best stereo sound experience. Visuals are best on a desktop computer. On a mobile phone, turn it sideways to a landscape position.Please answer the 5 minute questionnaire after experiencing your designed place. This will help us further understand how the look and sound of places affect our experiences of them, and help create real world, healthy urban environments.Each month, a £10 Amazon voucher will be awarded to a participant in the final questionnaire. Winners will be drawn randomly from the selection of submitted responses. The Environment Simulator is part of a University research project that aims to help understand the impact of the built environment on our lives. Completed questionnaires will assist with the development of future urban sustainable and healthy societies. You can create as many places as you wish by repeating the process. This is a great way to discover the differences your decisions have on your experience of urban places. After experiencing your place you will learn how similar designed environments affect people's health and wellbeing. Select the type of environment you wish to design* Urban Park Urban Square Choose the main thing you want to change in this virtual place* Buildings Traffic Nature PeopleChoose the main thing you want to change in this virtual place* Traffic Nature People Choose the features you want in this placeBuilding Façade Material Glass Stone VegetationBuilding Inclusion Include ExcludeGround Surface (not used?) Grass StoneUrban Park Ground Surface (not used?) Grass StoneGround Surface Grass StoneTraffic Low Medium HighPeople Low Medium HighVegetation Low Medium HighVegetation for nature (not used)* Low Medium HighWater Fountain None Small LargeCafe None One TwoNo Cafe (not used) None One Two Before experiencing your designed place, we need to set your headphones to a required and appropriate level. Put your headphones on now and then play the video below. Here is your designed place. (It may take a moment to load on the page). Please view in full screen mode and with headphones on. Once the video has finished, please exit full screen. You can then take part in the questionnaire, or just learn more about your chosen urban place.We hope you enjoyed your simulated environment.*To help increase our understanding about how the design of places impacts people, would you like to answer some questions about your experience of this environment? It will take around 5 minutes to complete the survey. No personally identifiable data will be collected. You will be free to end the survey at any point.Yes, I agree for my data to be collected for research to help our understanding of these issuesNo, I just want to learn more about my designed place and not participate this time.Section BreakPlease answer the questions in relation to the experience you just had, as if it was a real world experience rather than a virtual environment. Answer by entering text in the boxes or click on one circle for each question.The first set of questions are about your experience and perception of the place.How did you feel when experiencing this place?What benefits would you gain from walking through or stopping in this place?On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (completely), to what extent do these statements reflect your experience of this place?Not at all 0123456789Completely 10There was much to explore and discover hereThis place was a refuge from unwanted distractionsIt would be easy for me to do what I wanted hereI experienced this place as very spaciousThinking about describing this place, on a scale of 1 (disagree) to 7 (agree), to what extent would you agree with these descriptions?Disagree 123456Agree 7Built UpQuietCrowdedAccessibleCalmNaturalAloneTranquilSafeBiodiverseOn a scale of 1 (a little) to 7 (a lot), how aware were you of the sounds in this place?A little 123456A lot 7The next questions are about the soundscape. The soundscape is your perception of the sounds in this place.What sounds did you hear in this place?On a scale from 0 (very bad) to 10 (very good), how would you describe the overall soundscape?Very bad 0123456789Very good 10On a scale of 0 (not at all) to 10 (completely), how appropriate was the soundscape for this place?Not at all 0123456789Completely 10On a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (completely), to what extent do these statements reflect your experience of the soundscape?Not at all 0123456789Completely 10The soundscape made me want to linger hereThe soundscape was a refuge from unwanted distractionsIt would be easy for me to do what I wanted while in this soundscapeI experienced this soundscape as very spaciousOn a scale of 0 (did not hear at all) to 10 (dominated completely), to what extent did you hear the following types of sounds?Did not hear at all 0123456789Dominated completely 10Natural sounds (e.g. animals, wind in vegetation, water)People Sounds (e.g. laughing, footsteps)Recreational Objects (e.g. bikes, music, football)Mechanical or Construction workVehicle sounds (e.g. cars, buses, motorbikes)Thinking about your time in the place, how much were you bothered, disturbed, or annoyed by traffic noise?Not at allSlightlyModeratelyVeryExtremelyThe next questions are about how you may use this place if you were to visit it in the real world.Given the choice, which activity would you do while in this place? Resting (e.g. sitting, eating, people watching) Socialising (e.g. talking, playing) Cognitive activities (e.g. reading, working) Light physical activities (e.g. walking) Energetic physical activities (e.g. jogging, playing a sport) Another type of activity Would you prefer to visit this place by yourself or with others?AloneWith 1 other personWith 2 other peopleWith more than 2 peopleFinally, a few questions about you.On a scale of 1 (very rural) to 5 (very urban), despite where you may live, do you identify yourself more as a rural or an urban person?Very rural personQuite a rural personNeutralQuite an urban personVery urban personWhat is your gender?MaleFemaleAnother gender categorisationWhat is your age?15 years or younger16 - 19 years20 - 24 years25 - 29 years30 - 39 years40 - 49 years50 - 59 years60 - 69 years70 - 74 years75 - 79 years80 years or olderPlease tell us about your living arrangementsLive aloneShared houseLive with parentsLive with childrenLive with children and partnerLive with partnerWhere do you live?Rural village or hamletRural townUrban townSuburb of a cityCentre of a cityWhich country do you live in (e.g. UK)?Is there anything you would like to add about your perception or experience of the urban place?If you have any hearing difficulties, please describe them below.Please tick all categories below that represent your knowledge in the area of sound, nature, or urban design. No relevant profession/knowledge Acoustician Sound artist Planning professional e.g. Urban planner Architect Landscape architect Environmental health officer Student (in acoustics or built environment related programme) Academic (in sound, nature, or urban design related areas) Other relevant profession/experience Finally, what equipment did you use to complete this task? Please tick all that apply. Mobile phone Tablet or Laptop Desktop computer In ear headphone Over ear headphones Speakers on device Is there anything you would like to add about your use or assessment of the environment simulator (either the tool or the video)?
