Project Overview

Client: Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie
Context: Public space & community safety
Year: 2025
My Role: UX Researcher & Product Designer

Nighttime public spaces can feel isolating and emotionally unsafe, especially for individuals walking alone, newcomers to the city, and people with heightened sensory or accessibility needs.

Soundscape Brantford explores how sound and storytelling can be used as a form of emotional infrastructure—supporting feelings of presence, comfort, and connection in urban environments. The project proposes a physical, accessible public device that invites interaction through audio rather than screens, encouraging calm engagement without demanding attention or visual focus.

Problem Statement

While cities often address nighttime safety through surveillance and lighting, emotional safety is frequently overlooked. Many people experience anxiety, loneliness, or unease in public spaces at night—particularly when environments feel silent, empty, or impersonal.

Traditional safety interventions tend to prioritize control and monitoring, rather than comfort, agency, or inclusion.

Design Opportunity

How might we create a non-intrusive, accessible public intervention that supports emotional safety at night—without relying on screens, apps, or surveillance?

Research & Insights

Research Methods

• Secondary research on nighttime safety and urban anxiety

• Accessibility and inclusive design literature review

• Analysis of existing public interaction devices

• Scenario-based user modeling

Key Insights

1. Silence in public spaces is often interpreted as isolation, not calm.

2. Audio can create a sense of presence without demanding visual attention.

3. Users feel safer when they are offered choice, not instruction.

4. Screen-based interactions are not always inclusive or desirable in public contexts.

Concept Description

Soundscape Brantford is a physical, wall-mounted public device that allows users to interact with sound content through tactile controls.

Users can choose between different audio modes—such as ambient soundscapes, local stories, or calming music—using large, clearly labeled buttons. The device is designed to be usable without prior instruction and without requiring visual focus.

Core Design Principles

• Screen-free interaction

• Accessibility-first controls

• Emotional comfort over efficiency

• Optional, user-initiated engagement

Accessibility Considerations

• Large physical buttons for ease of use

• Tactile labels and clear iconography

• Audio-first interaction for low-vision users

• No required reading or complex instructions

Inclusive Design Rationale

By removing screens and minimizing cognitive load, Soundscape supports a wider range of users—including people with visual impairments, neurodivergent individuals, and those unfamiliar with the local language or technology.

Scenarios of Use

Scenario 1: Walking Alone at Night

A student walking home late interacts with the device, selecting ambient sound to feel less alone while waiting at a crosswalk.

Scenario 2: Newcomer to the City

A newcomer listens to local stories, creating a sense of connection to the community and environment.

Scenario 3: Low-Vision UserA

low-vision user navigates the device entirely through tactile and audio cues without relying on visual feedback.

Final Outcome

Soundscape Brantford proposes a new way of thinking about public safety—one that prioritizes emotional well-being, accessibility, and quiet presence.

Rather than controlling space, the device invites gentle interaction, offering sound as a form of comfort and connection in the urban nightscape.