Increasing the percentage of natural features through “ greening ” can also help to boost the tranquillity of an area . Introducing more trees , shrubs , or trellising to “ hide ” building facades , makes people feel less stressed and calmer in their surroundings – so go wild with the greenery .
Having “ natural ” sounds can also help to make a place feel more tranquil . This could be done by installing a water feature or pond . This which will not only help in terms of relaxation but it will also encourage water fowl and birds . What all this shows is that creating a refuge from the din of city life doesn ’ t have to be a huge task . And it is often neglected green spaces that can be reimagined as havens of tranquillity .
So next time you ’ re feeling stressed out , try and find a tranquil space , or even better make one of your own – that way your can get your little bit of calm anytime you want .
Greg Watts
Greg is Professor of Environmental Acoustics in the Faculty of Engineering and Informatics at the University of Bradford . He is an internationally recognised expert on road traffic noise research and was awarded the RWB Stephens medal by the Institute of Acoustics for outstanding contributions to research and teaching . He is a Fellow of the Institute of Acoustics and he has a broad experience of working on acoustics projects for EPSRC , government departments and the private sector . Using live traffic environments and controlled environments , including involvement in fMRI brain scanning techniques , he has studied audiovisual interactions and their importance for environmental evaluations . He has developed methods to predict , map and improve perceived tranquillity and to assess levels of tranquillity in urban and rural open spaces .