Project

Hearing the Past: Reconstructing the Aural Heritage of Antwerp in the 19th Century

Code
G079825N
Duration
01 January 2025 → 31 December 2028
Funding
Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Research disciplines
  • Humanities and the arts
    • European history
    • Regional and urban history
    • Historical sites and landscape heritage
    • Humanities and the arts not elsewhere classified
  • Social sciences
    • Environmental psychology
  • Engineering and technology
    • CAAD and digital architecture
    • Urban and regional development
    • Audio and speech processing
    • Acoustics, noise and vibration engineering
Keywords
aural heritage urban history multisensory reconstruction of the past urban soundscape audiovisual interactions in environmental perception
 
Project description

This project aims to advance the theoretical landscape in historical studies and spatial humanities, emphasising the embodied experience of urban spaces. We propose an innovative methodological path for the revival of soundscapes in historical contexts, with a specific focus on the sonic history of Antwerp's inner districts during the 19th century. This period is particularly significant since the city's growth reflects not only in size and scale but also in the increasing diversity due to migration, new industries, and port activities. Our approach aims to yield insights into the city's acoustic past, advocating for an integrated approach to historical texts with data models, associated sound ontologies, and artificial intelligence-based natural language processing methods. This project seeks not only to help preserve the city’s acoustic heritage but also to enhance public engagement with its multisensory history and stimulate urban historical research focusing on the transformation of a representative 'big city' such as Antwerp during the 19th century. By doing so, the project proposes a paradigm shift where historical sounds are acknowledged as vital components of urban and other past environments, meriting academic interest and enduring conservation efforts.The reconstruction underscores the significance of engaging with our sense of hearing as crucial means of connecting with and promoting cultural heritage, aiming to create a more immersive connection with history.